Melodical Voice
by VioletRain03
Summary: Being mute wasn't a problem for him. He had never liked to talk and people wouldn't ask stupid questions. He had never missed his voice but it changed right after he met him. How do you tell someone you like him if you can't speak it out? OT6
1. A New Home

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

**WARNING: This story contains Shonen Ai / Yaoi !**

* * *

**_~~ 1. A New Home ~~_**

**_~~ 23. February, Afternoon ~~_**

"Oi, Ryoma. Wake up, we're here!" His father shouted and jumped out of the taxi, pulling the luggage with him. The called teen woke up and opened his tired eyes, rubbed the sleep out of it - he hated jetlag. The fifteen year old teen dragged his body out of the car and walked behind his father with his own luggage, his tennis bag and the cage with his beloved cat in his hands. He paid the bill with the money, which his father had given him, and the taxi drove off hurriedly. Ryoma stood in front of a small crème-colored house, with a small fence around the front part of the house. So that would be his new home? The mute teen was somehow excited to see what would happen but he was also frightened about the future.

Everything would change.

Everything had changed.

The young teen walked slowly inside, scanned the small apartment with his golden eyes. A little bathroom, a small kitchen, the living room and his father's room were one and the same and they had no tennis courts in the garden as they hadn't even a garden besides the small place in front of their house. He entered his new room which was way smaller and older than his room in America. Ryoma sighed deeply.

It was different, now that his Mom and Dad were divorced. His father had hardly any money left, just like his mother but the woman had at least a steady job. The boy would need to attend a part-time job to help his old man with the bills. Another problem for him. Would somebody give him a job? A mute boy?

The cat meowed loudly and scratched with his claws against the metal, protesting against staying any longer in the cage. Ryoma smiled warmly, opened the cage and the animal jumped out, purring around his master's legs. The mute boy petted the cat named Karupin behind the ears before he put his luggage down and started to unpack his things. Their small amount of furniture had been already delivered here.

His clothes didn't fit entirely into the tiny wardrobe and his books crowed the whole old desk. It took him less than an hour to finish unpacking, so he viewed around his room. Searching if everything stood out of place where it didn't belong to. When his sight fell on something sparkling on his wall, he noticed the window which was right next to his bed and searched for the intruder who blinded his sensitive eyes. Ryoma glanced out, seeing the shiny thing coming from the window across of him from his new neighbour's room. Thanks to the piercing light, he could only see a vision of a moving human. He narrowed his eyes and protected them with his left hand, tried his best to see better but the stupid light blinded him too much. As he groaned inaudible, the light suddenly disappeared and let him see colorful stars in front of his eyes.

He blinked three times, the color faded away slowly but he was still seeing colorful blotches with each blink. Great! It took it a moment to notice the three people opposite of him, who stared at him through the other window. He pushed himself back out of instinct and stumbled onto the old and new upholstered bed. Had they seen him? Why did he hide? He shouldn't hide! Why was he so surprised? He wasn't weak!

"Hey, Seishounen! Dinner is ready!" Called his father from the tiny kitchen, the scent of burnt food reached his nose as soon as he opened his door. Perfect! That absolutely made his day! Even he could cook some rice and vegetables without turning everything black and dark brown. The question about him starving to death was a matter of time. Ryoma could see it clearly. He had chosen to stay with his father, the tennis star, instead of staying by his lovely mother who wanted him to study all the time. The teen started to doubt that his decision was the right one.

How should his father teach him further if he was too weak to even hold his racket? Or maybe he would be soon send to a hospital due to food poisoning. Another rather interesting question occurred to him as he glanced outside the window next to his bed. They didn't have a tennis court anywhere near their new home, so how had his imagined their practice? They would need to go to some public courts to play and that was the last thing Ryoma wanted, letting the people see him getting humiliated by his stupid, foolish and childish, old man who made annoying and perverted jokes all the time.

Ryoma took one more quick glance through the window, seeing the three people watching him and also giggling as they saw him again. The teen cursed himself for being stupid and blushing and walked out, straight to Nanjiroh, his father, in the ugly smelling kitchen where a little cloud of black smoke greeted him. Eew!

His cat followed him faithfully, running in between and around his feet till he sat down onto one of the two chairs which stood in the middle of the small dinning room which was connected with the kitchen. He said _'thanks for the food'_ in his own language, before beginning to eat the… strangely looking, smelling and probably tasting food. His old father shot him some worried glances from time to time, it annoyed him.

His father was worse than his mother, always talking around the bush and silently worrying like crazy over him. Those curious and nervous glances he received right now was one of the obvious signals. The next sign would be coming soon - his father would start clearing his throat, play with his food and tip his feet like the rabbit from the movie bambi would do. It was so annoying.

"Ahem..."

Oh god, there it is...

"...Ahem...Well...Ahem..."

It was enough! Ryoma glared at his over-protective father and stopped eating, laid his sticks down. The food was as promise - horrible and gave him the desire to gag. He waited patiently for his old man to speak up.

* * *

"Alright, alright! I'll stop. I'm just worried about my stupid son who will probably get lost in his new school." The joke was just an act to cover his true worry. His small, mute and stubborn brat would go to a public school with girls and boys. It wasn't something about the school he worried about; it was about his son who was distanced, somehow arrogant and had always been taught at home by a private tutor as his mother had been too worried about him. Maybe also because he, Nanjiroh, was too worried about his stupid son.

Now his baby would go to a school all alone with different manners and such. Ryoma would manage it, hopefully, but the worry killed him inside. He prayed for his son to find good friends, to be a bit more social and friendlier. Anyway, his biggest wish for Ryoma was to see him being the boy and not the adult who he often showed. It was like his child wasn't and had never been a child, it was as if Ryoma had jumped over the gap between a child and an adult. His dear son didn't even get one pimple in his whole life! Well, he hadn't seen his son's hormones kick in too. Sadly.

He missed his smiling son with the bright golden eyes and the carefree attitude. Ryoma had never grizzled or cried out loud, his boy kept it all inside and solved the problems by himself, so it was his, Nanjiroh's, part to show his stupid son what it was like to be childish, to feel happy and carefree. The boy didn't dare to pick up the sticks again and continue to eat, the uncomfortable silence surrounded them. It was hard to live with someone who couldn't speak. One day, after the mistake of his, his son couldn't speak a word anymore. He had become mute, only speaking through paper or mimicry.

Nanjiroh and his dear ex-wife had tried so many time to teach him how to speak but the boy had never said a word out loud, not after the accident_,_ after Ryoma's ninth birthday. Even the doctors couldn't say what it was that hindered the young male to speak. Would he ever hear his son's voice again? His son was brilliant in writing in different languages but he highly doubted he could speak them as the teen had never done so. Speaking and writing were two different things.

* * *

The two finished dinner and just when Nanjiroh cleaned their plates, someone knocked on the front door.

"Seishounen, open the door for me."

Ryoma, the good son he was, stomped in his room and slammed the door shut, ignoring his old man and the noisy knocking.

"Open the door, brat!"

He didn't want to let these people in, they wouldn't understand him, they would ask dumb questions and talk on and on because they thought they could speak more as he couldn't. He hated it, the pity! The cruelty, he endless questions and nagging why he couldn't speak. He wanted to stay in his own world. His quiet and emotionally save world.

"Brat!"

Oh man! Why?

The young teen stomped furiously to the door, unlocked the two locks and opened the door a few centimetres. Who knew what his father would take as punishment? daring him to wear a skirt or dress? Letting him run around the town? Most likely the first one...

Six males stood in front of him and grinned or smiled happily. One of them held a basket with something to eat and drink.

"Hello, welco-" Ryoma didn't let the person end the sentence, slammed the door shut, walked back into his room and drowned the voice of his father with the loud music from his old MP3-Player. Tomorrow would be his first day in a public school with other students who spoke out loud. He had always been taught by a homeroom teacher whom his mother knew since her childhood. His mum was overprotective sometimes; all the more to worry how he should manage the next few years in his new school. He would wear a school uniform and would drag some books all along with him. He didn't have any trouble with his loss of his voice; he was antisocial and didn't like to talk, so everything fit perfectly.

He didn't need a voice, his father understood him through his tennis and his beloved cat knew what he meant on the first sight. Who else would be necessary to understand him? Answer: Nobody.  
Whenever the people heard from his father about him being mute, they left him alone – if it was out of disgust or simply their laziness for not having the time and effort to learn his language – Ryoma didn't know and he had no interest in finding out. All he needed was already here. Without another thought, he fell asleep.

**_~~ 24. February, Morning ~~_**

The boy felt something sneak under his blanket, tiptoeing next to his leg and up his stomach. Small claws poked his chest gently. Soft fur tickled his bare skin and the attack of a rough tongue licking alongside his left cheek woke him up entirely. His cat purred loudly into his left ear, giving him a shiver of welcoming warmth. It was Karupin way to say: "It's time to rise and shine." The still tired teen turned around, pulling his blanket over his head and blocking the sun out. It was too early. Just a couple of minutes more.

"Ryoma, wake up and get ready!" He hated early mornings; he hated waking up in the middle of the night or early morning. Why should he go to school? The teen already knew most of it and the things he didn't understand, he would study it by himself. He had been fine alone before. His teacher had often praised him for being smart.

The boy gave up as another shout reached his ears and his cat began to nibble on his fingers. The sun shone through the window and greeted him warmly. The young mute made a grimace, turned around and pulled the cover off his body. His father yelled a last warning about coming in his room and doing cruel things if he wouldn't sit on his chair in the dinning room in five minutes. The threat worked as Ryoma sat up in his bed and took a moment to think about yesterday.

The smell of burnt food – once again – filled the air. This time though he didn't even need to open the door. So he would be starving today too?  
Ryoma had closely thrown up the last night because of the _cooked _food. Not to say what nightmare he had after this disaster...

The teen petted his cat's fur, turned his old alarm clock off after viewing at it. It was way too early! He returned closed his eyes once more, covered his whole body with the blanket again. Ryoma ignored the shouts from the old man, the bright light from outside and the knocks against his window…...

...Wait...

… knocks...?

Ryoma's eyes shot open, he shoved the blanket off his body for the second time and jumped out of the bed, opened the old window and stared into happy eyes. If he had a voice he would have screamed but no sound escaped his mouth, only his pretty shocked face betrayed him. His eyes were wide open, his mouth slightly hanging but he tried his best not to show any surprise.

"Good, mor-" Before the intruder could speak any further, the teen closed the window anew, pulled the curtains in front of them, grabbed his new school uniform and rushed into the bathroom after viewing at the clock on the corridor's wall. He was late for taking the bus and would be late for school. Damn... why was he always so sleepy in the morning? Or all the time?

The boy jumped into his school uniform, buttoned it right – at least he thought so – left the house without breakfast as the burnt food would make his stomach only the more horrible and ran as fast as he could to the next bus stop. When he arrived there, the bus drove away without him. Shit!

What a great start for a new day in his new life. What should he do now? The teen had no idea where the school was or how he should get there now. Damn it! Just as he wanted to walk with his head hanging down, a car next to him stopped and the door swung open. "Do you need a lift? My sister can bring us to school."


	2. The Small Feeling Of Nostalgia

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

_**~~ The Small Feeling Of Nostalgia ~~**_

_**~~ 24. February, Morning ~~**_

The mute boy stopped and stared into two different pairs of faces. One had short brown hair with grayish eyes, the other one had black eyes and also black hair which he played with, curling his index finger into a strain of his black hair. The later one looked... _strange_, to say it in a nice way. The older woman who drove the car smiled and winked to him in friendly greetings. Her long brown hair waved a bit, it was the same color like the first teen had.

Ryoma didn't know them and his stubborn pride wouldn't allow him to look weak, so he shook his head as an answer. He would just go back home and look up at a map or if really necessary he would ask his stupid father but he would never give other people the opportunity to annoy him which most people would after a short period of time. Ryoma took three steps backwards and bumped into someone other. His view wandered up automatically.

"My son would be honored to drive with such a beautiful young woman." Nanjiroh pushed his son's school bag with the tennis rackets in his hands, the cap onto the boy's head and shoved the teen inside the car. The mute boy protested in many ways but it was in vain. His old man was stronger, always. It was annoying. Ryoma found himself in a red car while his embarrassing father flirted wildly with the young woman who drove the expensive thing. Why? Why did his old man need to embarrass him in front of everyone?

The mute's view wandered to the person sitting next to him and looked into a friendly but strong-willed pair of grey eyes.

"Good morning, my name is Fuji Yuuta. Pleased to meet you." The male, who had asked him if he wanted to have a ride, nodded in greetings and only then did Ryoma noticed the other young male in the car who sat in front of him with the backside against the seat. The one with the black hair sat next to Fuji Yuuta, never stopped to play with his index finger in his black flick of hair. He had an evil smile on his face and looked ugly, Ryoma would have rolled his eyes about it but he was smart enough to turn his face in another direction and view out of the window.

"Hey, my name is Mizuki Ha-" The boy got interrupted from the unknown teen in front of him. A hand reached out and waved in front of his eyes to get his attention. Ryoma did so out of reflex, a face came into his sight and he immediately backed away by the closeness of the hand which had slightly touched his cheek and nose. He followed the hand, up the arm and reached sight of a smiling and close-eyed face which was surrounded by lightly brown hair that caressed the male's cheek.

"Hello there. My name is Fuji Syusuke. Nice to meet you." The smiling eyes opened for a moment and the mute teen stared into clear blue. Something glittered and sparkled in these oceans but he couldn't focus or think about it. He simply stared further. When the starry eyes closed again and a Cheshire cat-like grin placed itself on the older teen's face, Ryoma was confused. Why did the teen grin?

"Aniki! Stop making him blush! You're embarrassing us!" Fuji Yuuta wailed - Ryoma couldn't describe it better - and scolded his older brother who only smiled and giggled in return.

_What?_

Ryoma had frozen onto his seat. Had he heard right? As to prove the statement, he touched his hot and glowing cheeks. He was blushing. Shit! He pulled his cap down, so much as to hide this red color from his face.

"Well then, let's go shall we? I can't let you arrive at school too late." The ride went on in silence for Ryoma. The people around him chatted with each other but nobody asked him questions and he was thankful for it.

_**~~ 24. February, Late Morning ~~**_

They reached the school right in time. A herd of boys greeted the older teen named Fuji Syusuke while the black-haired teen got ignored by all these people, only the other teen from the car spoke to him. Poor guy. But he was somehow strange, Ryoma admitted. He shouldered his tennis and school bag and walked through the very big school gate. What he saw left him stunned.

Right before him were three big school buildings. Each one had its own name and probably its own school uniform, teachers, class rooms and clubs. Unbelievable! Where the hell should he go now? He had no idea what his school was called! Stupid old man, he never mentioned his school's name! The teen had no idea how the hell he was supposed to find the _right_ secretary room with the correct class room?

He would leave the school right away if they didn't even have a decent tennis team!  
Ryoma took a deep breath and watched each building carefully. The first building stayed to his right side, the second in the centre of the large school yard and the last to his right. Each building looked unique. Different appearance, different design and different reputation as Ryoma could see from the big signs at each school which were filled with wise words.

Mhm...

The mute bit his lips before walking to the building in the centre and stopped as he saw the pupils which rushed inside. Their school uniform was made of lightly brown jackets and dark brown pants. This wasn't the same uniform as he wore. So it meant up to the next building and hoping to have chosen the right school.

The mute teen went straight along to the building on the left side of the three schools. The bell rang for the first time and the teachers rushed across the school yard while they shot him disappointed or hateful glares. Ryoma was confused and shocked for a second before he had control over his body again. He reached the floor where the students were changing their shoes and chatting happily. Everything was put on its right place; the students were very polite to each other, way too friendly and respectful! The mute went on, along every corridor on this floor. When none of the room appeared to be the secretary, he walked up the stairs, not knowing how the classes were organized and still searching for the damn secretary office.

The desired secretary office wasn't on the second floor either, so he went further up the stairs. Students looked after him and sent him confused glances and stares. It didn't interest him until a bunch of girls started to follow him and he quickened his pace. The mute sprinted onto the third floor and took a look in every room through the window of the door; hoping one of them would be the secretary office.

None.

Nade.

Nothing.

Where the hell was this shitty office? Ryoma found himself at the end of the last corridor and frowned, glaring out of the window...

Just as he turned around and wanted to go to the entrance where he had come from he bumped into another person, glared up and looked into the eyes of a devil.

"Oi, brat! Get out of our way!" The devil took a closer look and he reacted nearly like the teachers. His expression changed quickly from anger to never-ending hatred. "Hey! You don't go to our school! Are you spying on us you stupid Seigaku brat! Pis-"

"Kirihara! Watch your manners." A guy with short, dark brown hair and closed eyes approached them and another with red hair poked the black-haired guy named Kirihara on the cheek. The black-haired teen apologized immediately, pouted and had a grumpy look on his face, nevertheless, didn't say anything.

Ryoma had no time nor interest to pay attention to these guys conversation because something unbelievable lucky caught his attention. A male student with spiky black hair and a piece of bread in his mouth rushed hurriedly into the school building on the right side. The male wore the same uniform as him! Black jacket and pants with a white shirt beneath. There was his right school! He had found it!

"-ey, you lost, little boy?" Ryoma turned around with a smirk on his lips and viewed in dark eyes of a tanned older teen with no hair on his head. Ryoma noticed by first sight that the male wasn't fully Japanese but probably a mix or half. Forgetting his manners and not knowing how to react to others, he ran past them – hearing one of them say '_such an arrogant and disrespectful brat!' _- and down the stairs, out of the building and inside his right school.

Hopefully, he wasn't too late.

* * *

"Who was that? Do you know him, Akaya?" A soft voice joined the conversation of the little group. The youngest of them, Kirihara Akaya, turned around and his green eyes began to sparkle from admiration by the sight of his buchou, his captain.

"Buchou! You're late. Are you okay?" The small group rolled his eyes in synchronisation. Their youngest one had a bad crush on their beautiful captain. It was so obvious but the black-haired demon didn't seem to catch and notice it himself.

"Don't worry; I had met up with a friend. Everything is fine." The bluenette smiled happily his bright and gentle smile. The second bell rang, signalled every student the classes would start soon.

"Bye, Mura-buchou. See you later."

"Pay attention and don't mess up your English test!" The black-haired boy waved his right hand and stepped down the stairs.

"You spoil him too much, Yukimura-buchou. He is already obsessed with you, please don't make it worse." Said the red-haired guy, Marui Bunta, with slightly red eyes and a blue bubble gum in his mouth before blowing the gum into a big bubble and letting it splat. The sticky thing stuck onto his face. His best friend with the dark skin, Kuwahara Jackal, grinned by his poor attempt and earned an angry glare from Marui.

"Obsessed?" Yukimura Seiichi asked innocently, nonetheless, a sadistic gleam glittered in his violet orbs. The group nodded in agreement and took place at their seats, only the _Big Three_ were left behind. A tender hand landed on his left shoulder and rested there, his view stopped by his best friend – a black-haired guy with broad shoulders. "Sanada?"

"Did you meet up with_ him_ again?"

"And what if I did?" The deep violet eyes sharpened and glared at the cap-wearing teen. Sanada Genichirou, one of the _Big Three_ gritted his teeth but said nothing, he frowned and went away without another word.

"Seiichi, you know he doesn't like it. Why are you teasing him so much?" Yanagi Renji, the last member of the B_ig Three _said with his closed eyes.

"Why do I? Mhm…Who knows…" The bluenette hummed and looked out of the window, catching sight of a rushing figure. He shook his head as he recognized the uniform. His expression changed from angel-like to hate. He hated Seigaku and most of its students. Once he had thought innocently and respectful about them. Nevertheless, it was long time ago... Now his only desire was to crush them, especially the tennis team and he would led his own tennis team to do it.

He hadn't fought so hard and tiring to be the captain of the Rikkaidai tennis team without having an unbreakable dream. He would make them pay for it, for what they had done to him and especially to his best friend Genichriou!

* * *

After his little sprint across the whole school yard, he had finally reached the right secretary office. Around ten minutes late and already tired from wandering around in this confusing, huge and foreign building, Ryoma made his way to his class. The secretary had scolded him for being impolite for not bowing down and for being late and not apologizing. Why should he bow down? What was wrong with these people? He wasn't a slave so why should he bow down?

The woman behind the desk had shot him flagrant glances as she had typed some details into the computer, printed out his school schedule and handed the paper over. She shook her head in disappointment when Ryoma had only nodded in thanks without saying anything else. The boy left the room, as soon as the woman took a better look on the details from the new freshman; she gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth.

Seems like she noticed he was mute and not from Japan. He looked like a full blood Japanese, so all people thought of him living here since his birth. How wrong they all were. Ryoma tried his best to find his class which took him another twenty minutes. His schedule for today was*:

1. English

2. Japanese

3. Biology

Lunch break

4. PE (Physical Education)

How the hell was he supposed to know where all the rooms were? His English and Japanese lesson was in room 3-2.

What does it mean _'3-2'_?  
Where exactly was it?  
He had no idea. And why should he attend a club activity?

Nearly half of the lesson was already over when he found his class. He knocked onto the door and opened it. All views were directed at him, staring with big eyes at the foreign boy. How he hated the affection if it wasn't on the tennis court. Tennis - his second best friend, right behind his beloved cat, Karupin. The emerald-haired teen walked up to the stunned and shy teacher, handed over the papers which the secretary gave him and waited patiently.

"O-Oh…" Was all he heard as the teacher read the end of the document. "I-I see… Well, class welcome your new classmate. His name is Echizen Ryoma and comes from the United States. Please be nice to him because he is-" The teacher got interrupted by the secretary's voice through the speakers who ordered him to come to the office for an important call.

"Echizen-kun, please take the empty seat next to Horio-kun and be on time for the next lesson. Class, read page 32 and answer the questions below. I'll be back shortly." The teacher sprinted out and left the class alone which was a huge mistake for the new mute boy. The girls started to squeak in high tones and overwhelmed him with questions. He sank deeper into his new seat and pulled his cap down, hiding his eyes and the blush.

He didn't like people dragging themselves into his private space, the heat would always rush to his head and turn his cheeks and ears into a bright pink. He couldn't stop it and he hated it. Ryoma felt uncomfortable with the girls surrounding him and leaving no space, the less he reacted to one of their questions – the more girls joined his new stalking group and squeaked _'soo cool'_ in his ear. It was annoying that he couldn't help but gritting his teeth.

He hated this school already and all he wanted to think about then was tennis.

_**~~ 24. February, Midday ~~**_

He already missed his past life. His life in America was easier, he could tell by now. The people here were different and strange, the teachers and upperclassmen were strict – still some were quite nice and funny. Though, he couldn't really tell as he hadn't talked to anyone but quietly watched from far away in a secure place without girls squeaking in his ears.

He had lived all the time in America and his parents had never told him anything about Japan. Well, they hadn't told him about the divorce either, only when the big day of the "moving back to Japan" arrived had his parents been so nice as to tell him the truth. They had taught him how to read and write in Japanese from the very beginning. Now he asked himself if his parents had even loved each other back then or if they had only stayed together because of him. Had they decided long ago to break their relationship when he was old enough?

It would at least explain why they had been so fanatic to teach him Japanese. Still, he had problems with it. Ryoma could write in quite many languages as he didn't need to learn how to speak them. It was so much easier for him being mute; the teachers wouldn't ask him to answer questions in their lessons, though, they would probably order him to answer questions on the black board and this was sometimes even worse. The noisy questions and chatters of his classmates had gone on across the whole day till lunch break.

As soon as the bell rang and signalled him the time for lunch break he sprinted out of class and straight forward, leaving his dense classmates behind with stunned and amazed expressions on their faces. Thanks to his daily tennis practice he was fast and had quite a good stamina. Hopefully, it wouldn't change now as he didn't have a private court anymore. Up at the roof, he found his peace and watched his classmates, who were sitting and chatting all over the school yard, carefully from a great distance, not wanting to get lost again after the bell rang.

His stomach growled loudly by the sight of a spiky-haired teen overcrowded with different kinds of food. Shit, he had forgotten his lunch in his class room and going back there now would be suicide. So he lay back down onto the rather cold ground and sooner as he thought he was asleep with a growling stomach.

A nap would be fine. It wouldn't hurt to rest in this harmonically quietness.

_**~~ 24. February, Afternoon ~~**_

Ryoma woke up by his body being moved. His body was moving, not with his will but not against it either. It was strange, it was moving without him doing anything. He smelled a fresh sweet scent and something wet dropped down onto his cheek and slid down slowly to his chin. A scent which surely didn't belong to him! And a liquid which shouldn't stream down his skin!

His eyes snapped open and his head shot up. His vision grew blurry and he gasped by surprise, when he got pushed further up. Someone carried him piggy back and two other males walked beside him, watching him with grinning expressions.

"Oh, finally awake. You are a heavy sleeper, neighbor from next door."

* * *

***I don't know how long a lesson takes in other countries, so I'll take the time from my own lessons in school for now. One lesson takes 1 hour and 30 minutes, but instead of a 30 minutes lunch break, I'll make it an hour here.**


	3. The Handsome Stranger Next Door

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

_**~~ The Handsome Stranger Next Door ~~**_

_**~~ 24. February, Afternoon ~~**_

"Oh, finally awake. You are one deep sleeper, neighbor from next door." Ryoma pushed his hands against the shoulders, twirled and struggled to get off of the person's back. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks. Shit! Where was his cap? The person lost his balance, wavered forward and loosened the grip around him. The male, who had carried him so far, yelped like a cat and fell onto the hard stony ground with his face straight forward. Ryoma gasped by the hard impact rubbing his backside and glaring at the three.

One of the two followers steadied the cat-like teen and helped him onto his feet, while Ryoma also had fallen but landed on his butt and spine. Everything was blurry for a moment, spinning around. The new guys stared curiously at him, eying him from head to toe. Ryoma felt like under some kind of scanner, it was awkward. The youngest teen stood up – ignoring the outstretched hand from the tallest one - rubbed off the dirt of his uniform, snapped his bags from the teen's…

...Stop. Oh god, it was this Fuji guy from this morning. His hand stopped midway, his eyes focused on the brunette.

"Saa, I see you recognize me. We didn't mean to scare or offend you. You were sleeping at the roof and one of our team members noticed you during practice, the school was ready to get closed so we kindly carried you with us, instead of waking you up from your lesson-skipping-nap." Fuji said with his smiling face and approached the emerald-haired teen. Ryoma didn't step back, standing stubbornly at the same place like a stone and shooting the brunette a piercing glare. He had noticed the scolding tone when Fuji pointed out blankly that he had just skipped a lesson on his very first day. So what?

The brunette had nothing to do with him so he should back off like the other people around him!

Instead of glaring into shut eyes, Ryoma stared into clear blue oceans with an intensity which he had never seen before. Almost as strong as his own. He couldn't and wouldn't look away, he would never back away! He was a fighter and losing was one of his weak points he needed to admit. Nonetheless, it push him up all the more to do every thinkable to win a game or a silent and unspoken challenge like this one right now.

"Oi, oi… Fujiko, close your eyes, you're scary, nya!" The redhead, who had carried Ryoma, said and lifted his hands to calm them down. His normally smiling friend giggled and shut the unbelievable pure blue eyes. Ryoma found himself still staring, searching for another glint of these traumatic eyes. The challenge wasn't over yet. The heat returned slowly into his cheeks when he noted the amused gaze from Fuji. Maybe the challenge really was over...

His view landed on the hyperactive redhead who jumped up and down beside the still silent teen. The tallest of them had also lightly brown hair, shorter than Fuji's, and wore glasses. The stoic expression made him look older; nevertheless, he wore the same uniform as him, only with the symbol of a third year.

"So what is your name, nya? My name is Kikumaru Eiji, you can call me Eiji or Eijiko. Fujiko said you live in the same street, just at the opposite house of Fujiko and mine. So we're neighbors. So cool, nyyaaa…"

Oh god, was the guy a cat or why was he nya-ing?

More importantly... had he understood them right? They lived in the same street where he lived? Right opposite his home? Today was not his day and he had a feeling it would only get worse with those two crazy and strange guys being near him.

He got ripped out of his thoughts when a strong pair of arms surrounded his throat and pressed every oxygen out of him. The poor boy began to struggle, gasping for air and freedom. The young men noticed his change of color, from pale to lightly blue. Slender fingers grabbed the wrists around his throat and pulled at them a bit. Nothing changed.

"Eiji, you're suffocating him. He's already turning blue. Oishi wouldn't like to see such a sight." Fuji giggled with his index finger on his soft lips. It made him look quite feminine.

"…I don't suffocate him! I'm only cuddling with my cute little kouhai. He is cute, isn't he?..."

Did the guy just call **him** cute? He was **cute**? **He** was cute? Has he lost his mind?! No one, no male, would like to be called cute!

"…and so small! I'll call him Ochibi!..."

Was he searching for a fight? He wasn't small, they were just bigger and older. And dare this Eiji to call him Ochibi once more and hell would freeze!

"…Ne, Ochibi, do you want to hang out for burgers? My treat this time!" The jumpy redhead hadn't noticed the popping veins on the younger teen's forehead, nor had he noted the angry glare at him from those piercing golden eyes. The _embrace_ hadn't loosened entirely and Ryoma began to fear for his lungs.

"Kikumaru, stop choking him or you'll run 80 laps tomorrow morning!" It was the first time the stoic male with glasses had spoken. The voice was strong and unbreakable, showing power and respect. Fairness, he could see it in the teen's eyes. Something pierced inside the backside of his head and the mute turned around to view into icy blue orbs once more. Ryoma froze.

Was it only his imagination or had the intensity increased in those blue orbs? Was he challenging him anew?  
The thrill tickled his skin in anticipation – like a lightning. Time and place froze with them, nothing mattered. The silent challenge between them intensified and a shiver flew across Ryoma's spine, before...

"SEISHOUNEN!" The four guys turned around and saw a waving Nanjiroh, dressed in a dark brown monk's cowl.

Every once in a while, Ryoma was happy to have a father like his old man. Nanjiroh could be very useful sometimes. Just like right now. Helping his son to get out of those strangers' grasps. The mute teen snapped, finally, his bag and cap out of the brunette's hands, walked past his father and into the house, not looking back. The old man blinked twice, stared at the three males and started to laugh out loud while holding his stomach and waving goodbye.

* * *

The three students stood at the same spot for several seconds. Suddenly, the tensai called Fuji began to chuckle in his melodically voice, putting a loosen strain of hair behind his ear with his tender fingers. "Hehe, what an interesting boy." The two friends beside him viewed with terrified or in the other brunette's case - cold views at him.

"Whatever you plan in your insane mind, stop it, Syusuke." The stoic male named Tezuka Kunimitsu spoke in a cold and slightly annoyed tone. His best friend was plotting something - something which would cause much trouble and emotionally stress. He saw it in the too wide smile and the way his friend still stared at the house which the young teen had entered only mere seconds ago. All pranks and ideas of his boyfriend ended in a pure chaos. Never did anything happen like planned. And always had it caused an emotionally turmoil for the victims.

"Yeah, Fujiko! You scared my Ochibi, nya. Poor Ochibi! Had just arrived here from the United States."

"Saa, Eijiko. Where do you know that?"

"Horio." What more was there to say? The noisy freshman with orange/red colored hair couldn't keep a secret by himself. So, automatically, everyone in the tennis club knew about the strange, new freshman with emerald-hair. By tomorrow, everybody in Seigaku would know about him. Rumors and gossips spread fast in Seigaku.

"Interesting."

"Mou! Fujiko, you still have your eyes open and this evil smirk in your face!" The three didn't pay attention to where they stood nor in front of who's house they stood. Just the cold voice and the steps behind them stopping mere feet away informed them about the stranger's arrival. They would usually do everything to avoid such contact, too bad memories were boiling up with each meeting.

"Do you have nothing better to do than standing in the way?"

_**~~ 24. February, Late Afternoon ~~**_

The old, wooden door slammed shut, leaving him in the dimmed room with only the twilight coming through his window. Ryoma slipped down onto the floor, leaned his head against the door and listened to his hammering heartbeat. He was shivering, not from the muggy weather but from the cold chill he had just received by seeing the tensai's self. Something had sparkled in fascination in those ocean-blue eyes. The boy felt like the prey, helpless and defenceless if he wouldn't turn around now.

It took him a few minutes to stand up. His hands, his legs - mostly all party of his body quivered in anticipation from the challenge.

Hot... since when was it so hot in this room? The emerald-haired teen went to the old window, opened it and breathed in the refreshing air. Nostalgia flooded him slowly. Ryoma would never admit it, but he missed his mother and his only friend - if he could call him that. The other teen in America, Kevin was his name, hadn't left him at first, stayed by his side whenever Ryoma had left the house. The teen was the same age as him, nonetheless, he acted like the older brother Ryoma never had. His beloved cousin would always turn red with jealousy as she wanted it to be her task to do. However, Kevin never left his side, played some matches with him and also slept over sometimes. They had begun to spend the time together, till neither of them wanted to be separated from the other for a too long time. Was it that what being friends meant?

He would have never thought about it being possible but he missed Kevin. A friend who understood him. Kevin was, or better said, had been the third point on his favorite-list, stood right under Karupin and tennis.

Man, how he missed everything from his old life. The mute teen wanted to go back home - already missing the good tasting food from his mother and cousin. His father was great in tennis and had trained him since he was four years old. Back then, they had lived together and had a private court in their big garden with orange trees behind their house. Ryoma had, and still did, liked it. Japan was different from America, like two entirely different worlds. His new school was a building with uncountable doors and rooms. He hadn't had the chance to take a look at the tennis club which let him pout. He would need to fetch it later.

A light chuckle startled him and his view went - like a magnet being pulled its opposite piece - to the window of his still unknown neighbor. The other window got opened by a male which wore a messy dark green uniform and a symbol of a second year. An upperclassman from the building where he had gotten lost at the beginning of his search for the stupid secretary office.

Ryoma's view rested on the face of the male. He had seen this face once before but couldn't remember. It was one of his very weak points - remembering boring people's face and names. But... did the beautiful and melodically sound come from such an idiotic looking guy?

He couldn't remember the name, he never had been good with remembering names of unworthy people. Damn it! Ryoma shifted his position and hid behind the wall, listening to another light chuckle. His ears rang by such a good sound. However, a noisy voice disturbed the goddess-like sound and Ryoma snapped his eyes open in annoyance. To his utter surprise and disbelief - the ugly voice didn't came out of the devil's mouth so the delightful voice must be his. Oh god...

A deep shudder of disgust shook him violently by the next thought. No, even with such a beautiful voice the guy couldn't cover up his not so great profil. It didn't fit at all and... was that disappointment he felt?

Eew! Better to change the direction of thoughts...

"Stop searching for the boy, Akaya. It's enough that you had teased him yesterday."

"But I haven't seen his face yet! How do you know it's a boy?"

"I doubt a father would call his daughter _'seishounen'_. I heard the man call him that yesterday afternoon after you three had scared him away."

"... Oh. Senpai you're smart!"

"Thanks for the compliment."

"You just never listen to anybody else than buchou so you hadn't heard it." There were snickers and chuckles by that statement and also a loud groan and the sound of gritted teeth. Ryoma huffed and shook his head, sliding down onto the wall and sitting under the window sill, listening to the sound of different voices chatting. Maybe someone of them played tennis or would at least mention it in a conversation.

He was bored...

_**~~ 24. February, Night ~~**_

Ryoma had listened all the time carefully with open ears. It was dark outside and cold when the people from next door bid goodbye, finally. They hadn't mentioned tennis, not even once in the entire time.

He had sat in the same position for two whole hours. Thanks to that his legs were now numb and tickled if he put pressure on them. His cat had joined him midway by his secretly spying, soundly asleep and lightly snoring on his out-stretched legs. The young man stood up with a groan, feeling the tickling sensation rolling through his feet and legs. It felt funny and supressed a snicker.

He closed the window while wavering to the bathroom, taking a hot shower to relax his sore and itching muscles. Ryoma declined his father's food for the risk of his stomach. Never would he eat something his dear old man had cooked again. His stomach was still feeling sick because of the last time he had eaten this so called food.

Ryoma entered his room again, sat on his desk which was next to the window and switched on the old lamp. Dimmed light flooded the small room and changed the cold into a warm atmosphere. His closed schoolbag got pulled up, books and paper fell onto the desk. His English homework nearly yawned at him as a sign for boredom.

It was strange and funny. He had asked himself all day long why the hell the school found it necessary for him to attend the English lessons. Did they think he would suddenly start to speak again if they forced him to sit there and listen to the teacher's words? He had lived in the States for his entire life. Writing and reading wasn't anywhere near his problems and speaking was out of questions, so why did he need to attend those boring and unnecessary lessons?

The boy snorted about his own thoughts and scribbled the answers hurriedly on the sheet of paper. He finished it in less than ten minutes, which his cat took as a chance and sneaked up onto his lap. The Himalayan cat purred loudly and enjoyable, stretched his body to give his master free room to pet and scratch the soft fur. Ryoma smiled and kissed his small pet on the forehead, taking it in his arms and cuddling with it.

Walking around in the room and stopping by the window, he was taken by surprise. In the light of the other room, a gorgeous young man, well build, was rubbing his bare chest dry with the towel around his neck.

Water drops streamed invitingly down his hair and chest, one after another. The male had dark-blue hair, which reached his shoulders, and slim hands. The older male looked quite feminine but still mystically. The beauty leaned down, showed Ryoma his self from the right side, and spoke in a tone and voice that sent shivers down his spine.

It was this voice. The one from earlier... the melodical voice from before. "C'mon Akaya. What is so hard about this simple question? English wouldn't be so hard if you would actually listen and pay attention in your lessons." The voice sounded scolding and disappointed, nonetheless, the gentleness was clearly audible, nearly visible. The person with the angelic voice cared for the other person who sat at the desk.

Only then did Ryoma actually notice the other person in the beautiful stranger's room. Nevertheless, his focus lay at the beauty completely. He couldn't look away. Dark blue hair fell over the shoulder, moved in the air and caressed the beauty's cheek as the older teen spoke and pointed at something which was out of reach for the emerald-haired teen's sight. As curious as his cat, he tiptoed to the window, quietly and slowly leaving the curtains ajar.

"I'm sorry, Mura-buchou! I really am! But I can't help. Whenever class starts, I get tired and sleepy! It's just sooo boring!" The beautiful stranger sighed deeply, inhaled the fresh air with his pale lips. The pure sight of it made Ryoma blush unconsciously.

"Kuro-sensei told me you wouldn't come to practice tomorrow as you need to stay late and study. You'll do as he told you and study English." Delicate fingers pushed the blue hair out of the face and stopped by the brink of the bluenette's nose.

"Mura-bu-" The other male wailed and looked terrified. Was he so bad in English? Or was the teacher so worse?

"Akaya." A warning. The voice sharpened, no room for any more arguments.

"Okay."

The sudden ache at his throat shoved him back to reality. Karupin jumped out of his grab and, with head and tail high in the air, out of the room. His cat had scratch his skin on his throat hard, leaving three long stripes. Was his cat mad at him? Why? He couldn't understand. Ryoma frowned and turned on his heels., leaving the strangers alone by themselves. He would make himself ready and go to bed. He felt sleepy and strangely exhausted.

Just when he turned around and focused on his surroundings again did he wish not to have done so. There at his door..."I never knew you swing that way, Seishounen. Peeping at your neighbor..." His old man grinned perversely and chuckled like a teenage girl with his hand covering his mouth. Nonetheless, the laugher reached Ryoma's ears. It was useless to stop or suppress the furious blush reaching his face and ears. It was out of reaction that he picked up the biggest book on his desk and threw it in his father's face. "Hahahahah-OUCH!"

What was his father thinking?! He hadn't peeped at his neighbor. He had just... looked, simply watched his neighbor who would be living next to him for quite some time. What a stupid old man his father was... He wasn't peeping, he was just looking. Like he did right then, glancing out of the window to get one last glance of the beautiful stranger.

Sadly, both strangers from next door were gone and the window was closed.


	4. Making Friends

**A/N**: Some of you have asked me the same question: How does the houses stand? I have tried to make a little sketch. Who lives in the places with **?** will be revolved in the later chapters when the people had been mentioned.

- Syusuke - Eiji -.-.- ? -.-.- ?

? -.- Ryoma -.- Seiichi -.- ?

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything!**

* * *

_**~~ Making Friends ~~**_

_**~~ 24. February, Night ~~**_

He was on his way around the city, looking for a place where he could play a little bit tennis against a wall and rest. He had missed the chance to challenge a few good players in his school, he needed some kind of highlight for the day and mostly, he needed to get this voice out of his head. It was still there, playing over and over again inside his ears. He couldn't sleep, all he did was lying around in his small bed, waiting for sleep to take over but he couldn't. His mind wouldn't let him.

So what else made him relax other than sleeping? Right... tennis. His father had just laughed, after he had seen him changing into his sport outfit with his Fila cap on his head and his tennis bag over his shoulders. The people all over the streets rushed past him, hectic and out of time it seemed

Were all Japanese like this? It took him less then fifteen minutes to find the so called Street Courts. It wasn't so crowded - it was pretty late and only a few older players hovered on the courts. It looked like they were amateurs, their grips were wrong, they tried to copy some bad techniques, he saw it on the first glance. Everything at all – amateurs who had no clue of real tennis. Not wanting to get unwanted attention, Ryoma walked quietly to the wall which was behind a little house. The toilettes, he guessed. He wasn't in the mood to challenge those idiots and teach them some lessons.

Today, he only wanted to play quietly to relax and calm down, to get ride of the voices circling inside his head.

He unpacked his things, pulled out his red tennis racquet and swung it a few times to loosen his stiff muscles in his arm. He couldn't get ride of this one certain thought, of this single image of a beauty with dark blue hair. Ryoma heard some guys yelling, some other were fighting over nothing, grabbing each other's collars.

How noisy. Those were probably some amateurs who couldn't agree with the solution that they both are horrible players.

The mute shook his head, focused on his own movements and began to play, throwing the yellow ball in the air and swung his racquet with his right hand against the ball. The smacking sound of cloth meeting stone was like music. He repeated this movement over and over again, till he felt the sweat pouring down his skin and his muscle aching slightly with every move. It had been only two or three days without him practicing and he already felt the effect of it.

Ryoma didn't know how long he had played, smashed the ball against the wall, when a second ball from behind him entered his playground. He forced his grip to tighten and smacked the yellow ball hard, leaving a loud sound from the ball connecting with stone. Both balls returned and got caught by the intruder playfully.

"You're pretty good, really good. Wanna play against me?" Ryoma turned around, gazing into the stranger's face. The guy before him had spiky black hair and a grin on his face. He seemed to be friendly. The dark purple eyes shone in joy and a sweat drop streamed down his temple. The mute had the feeling to stand in front of a good player, so he nodded and followed the other male onto one of the courts. Hopefully, he would have a good challenge. Now he was ready for one... The two stood at the net, the smaller teen had his racquet over his right shoulder, tipping it impatiently against his skin.

"Rough or smooth?" The spiky-haired teen asked with a goofy-like grin. Ryoma shot him a glare, pointing with his thumb up to declared that he wanted to say _'smooth'_. The goofy grin got replaced by an open standing mouth with blinking eyes, dumbfounded as to how he should take this kind of answer the guy shrugged. "Okay… I'll take this as smooth. You're not a social person, huh?" The teen twirled his racquet on the ground, grinning all the while as it spun around. The racquet came slowly to a stop, landed with a loud sound on the ground, smooth. "Your serve. Good luck."

Yeah.. the guy would need it.

Ryoma shot another piercing glare to his opponent before walking at the right corner of the court, getting ready to play. He hit the ball a few times against the ground, played with it for a few seconds before throwing it up one last time and hitting it with his racquet in his right hand. The ball flew at the other side of the court, twirled at the ground and jumped up at the other male's face. A yelping sound roared out of the guy's throat and Ryoma couldn't hide the proud smirk full of satisfaction.

He tugged his cap further down, hiding his proud and amused eyes. His Twist Serve gave his opponents always a hard time.

"What the hell was that?" The other teen asked, still recovering from the first shock. Ryoma simply shrugged and continued to serve, not even waiting for the black-haired guy to get ready. The ball flew across the court in high speed, a crowd surrounded them as soon as the real game started and watched with awed eyes and mouths. Though, nobody said a word or made a sound, they simply waited and watched the game till the end in silence.

The result of the match was 6:2 for Ryoma. The spiky-haired guy approached him, grinning goofily with sparkles of enjoyment in his eyes and also a little bit of shame and shyness. Yeah, this was indeed a good player.

The emerald-haired teen had little drops of sweat on his temples, wiping them away with his free left hand's backside. The bigger guy grinned from one ear to the other, held out his right hand, as he wanted to shake hands and congratulate the other for his win. Changing the racquet from his right hand to his left, Ryoma took the offered hand and shook it twice before he let go again.

"My name is Momoshiro Takeshi. I hope we can play again." The older teen said as their hands separated and the younger teen smirked before turning around and packing his things back into his bag.

Yeah, he hoped so too. The match was fun.

* * *

The smaller teen left without having spoken a single word, not even turning back and waving good bye...

Strange.

This guy was definitely strange. Momoshiro Takeshi had never seen him before, never seen such a talented and weird boy.

"Momo!" A voice from the east entrance shouted. The called teen viewed around, seeing his senpais winking and jumping to him. The redhead had a big smile on his face, in hyper-mode once again. His guess was confirmed right by the extra hard and choking hug he received from said senpai, Kikumaru Eiji. "Momo! Momo! I saw it all! You played against Ochibi! How was he? Was he good? Why did he leave?"

"Eiji-senpai! Stop clinging on me, please." The childish senpai let go unwillingly while pouting, his double partner, Oishi Shuichiro peeled him off carefully.

"Eiji, stop struggling him too much. Momo is exhausted; he could fall and sprain his ankle." The five people, who had followed the redhead and Vize-Captain of the Seigaku tennis club, rolled with their eyes and sweat dropped. It was so Oishi-like to worry about something like an injury - the mother hen was completely in his element.

* * *

The tensai of the group chuckled; his icy blue eyes were still fixated on the now empty space where the fascinating boy had stood only seconds ago. Would he be able to catch him if he sprinted?

The tickling feeling in his hands and feet let him truly think about this strange idea. As if he was possessed about the new teen, totally interested and itching to find out more about him. The last time he had such fascination for something was when he had met _him_. And the result for his eagerness turned out to be his biggest mistake. Why couldn't _he_ understand it? Hadn't _he_ felt the thrill?

"Saa, Momo. How was Ryoma-kun?"

"Ryoma? You mean the boy I had just played tennis with? You know him? He was pretty good but stra-"

"Momo-chan had lost against him." His hyper active senpai shouted and grinned like a cat from one ear to the other. Momoshiro twitched and grimaced, yelled at his red-haired and jumpy senpai for falling in his back. How should he have known the kid was so good? He had watched him practice alone with the wall. The young teen looked good, nonetheless, he hadn't looked like a better player than him. More like someone who had some experience but not much and was simply throwing a few balls against the wall to train his balance...

"Momoshiro, 30 laps around the courts for lacking off!" The captain of Seigaku's tennis team appeared at last on the court. It amazed Momoshiro each time... Wherever his buchou entered a place or simply stood somewhere, the people couldn't help as to look at him and obey his orders. It was like Tezuka-buchou had some strange scent on him which was poured out of his pore and forced the people who smelt it to obey... funny...

He grinned by the thought and snickered louder than wanted. "...50 laps, Momoshiro!"

* * *

While Momoshiro ran around the courts, a soft giggle reached Tezuka Kunimitsu's ears. He suppressed the annoyed groan which wanted to leave his throat. Oh dear... Why now?...

He glared at his friend, knowing the reason for the sadistic tensai's amusement. Hiding something from his dear boyfriend never ended well. Syusuke had a too sadistic vein as to let a matter rest when he noticed the person's nervousness about it. It was always the opposite - the tensai would dig deeper to know why and how he could use this weakness against this person... Just like now...

Even when he was curious about the new guy - just a little bit, only a tiny bit - he would not give in and ask, never. Kunimitsu was sure that he would understand his boyfriend's interest in the short teen soon enough. He would remain calm and emotionless, wouldn't repeat the same mistake again. He had given in once, the curiosity had been too much to bear and what had happened? Right, the tensai had blackmailed him with it and given him nightmares for a whole week!

It had happened in their first year of High School. As soon as Fuji Syusuke was in puberty and felt his crazy hormones jumping in his body he had started to take what he wanted - no matter if the person or thing wanted to belong to him. His boyfriend lived after the motto _What I want, I will get!_ ever since. Sometimes it was amusing, but mostly it was exhausting.

"Too proud to ask, mhm..." Fuji mused and smiled sweetly at him with his blue eyes closed. Sometimes, Kunimitsu really wanted to rip the mask off of him and see behind the facade. What was his lover planning now? What was he hiding? Why didn't he show his true self? Why didn't he show his feelings, whenever they were needed and unclear for someone else. For example: for him and right now...

They were a couple for a few month now and still he had never heard the three words from the other brunette's lips, so he hadn't said them either. The sweet and amused chuckle interrupted his thoughts. "I'll tell you if you ask nicely. Don't worry, I won't bite." The tensai teased his lover, watching him for a second with sky blue eyes before closing them once more. Eiji was faster and, luckily for Kunimitsu, asked the itching question.

"Fujiko, since when do you know his name? He hasn't told any of us, yet." Somewhere near a bench was a sparkle from glasses to be seen. Nobody noticed, though.

"Saa, who knows..." The redhead pouted and slung an arm around his best friend, begging at his friend for an answer. Trying to convince the tensai to tell them the answer was hopeless. Kunimitsu could say from experience. Never would the brunette tell anybody how he got all the information. However, Kunimitsu could already guess, whom had given out those kind of information. Inui, the data-collector in their tennis club, wasn't their manager out of nothing.

_'I think I have found a new entertainment. Ne, Echizen Ryoma.'_

_**~~ 25. February, Early Morning ~~**_

Ryoma couldn't believe it and pulled the blanket over his head which lead his cat to fall from the bed. Karupin meowed over and over again till he had enough and left his master's side, going to eat his breakfast. Why should he care if his dear master would be late once again? He had tried his best to wake him up.

It was way too early for Ryoma to wake up and make himself ready for the boring school. He still couldn't understand why he should go to such a school... It was still an enigma to him. Well, perhaps he would never understand as his father's thoughts and ways of thinking were more than simple and easy. They were twisted and insane instead.

"Shounen, wake up! Time to rise and shine!"

Ryoma groaned silently and pulled the warm and puffy pillow over his head, tried desperately to shut the noises out. It worked till his noisy father walked in, hammering loudly with a large spoon against a pan and screamed at him for being such a lazy son. The pillow, followed by his useless alarm clock flew right at the man. A small _'uff'_ and the incoming silence were heaven for Ryoma's ears, a sign he had managed to hit his father right in the face. A satisfied smirk appeared unconsciously on his face. Maybe the morning didn't start so bad at all.

"Oi, Shounen! Your friends are here to get you, so hurry up! You shouldn't let them wai-" How good it was to have a book on your bedside table. It was quiet once again, the room slowly filled with the sunlight, the sound of birds' chirps and the creaking sound of his window being opened.

"You're not a morning person, I see. Shall I help you to wake up?" A gentle voice asked him and a picture of a certain bluenette entered sneakily his mind. It was a mystery to Ryoma why especially this teen lingered in his mind most of the time, nevertheless, he let it slip and enjoyed the tickling feeling of someone playing with his hair. The person laughed out loud.

_This_ laugh, _this_ voice. Ryoma snapped wide awake, his eyes meeting the clear blue sky. Was it really the sky? He blinked once, twice and also a third time. The view hadn't changed. The emerald-haired teen jolted up, recognizing the person above him and wanted to shove him not so gently out of his bed but the teen was quicker and climbed out of the bed. Ryoma shot him a toxic glare which was replied by an amused giggle and closed eyes. The tensai was having fun and played with him. He could feel the challenge, the thrill, and he would answer this challenge and win.

"My, my, don't be so grumpy on such a nice day. I was friendly enough to wake you up, so you would be right in time for practice." The younger teen glanced up by the word practice, his glare turning into a curious look. "You played yesterday against one of my friends who is also a regular of the tennis team of Seigaku. You go to the same school as we do and you'll join the tennis club today. Hurry before we come too late and need to run laps. Tezuka does it to everybody who comes late. Sometimes you're lucky and can drink Inui's delicious juice." Ryoma felt dizzy by all the new details overwhelming his poor and still sleepy brain in the early morning. At least he didn't need to do any paperwork to join the tennis club but they would need at least a handful of good players to keep him in the club, otherwise, he would leave. The emerald-haired teen pointed at his door, glancing from the door to Fuji and back to the door. The tensai understood, smiled and walked out of the door, stopping one more time and turning around to gaze into golden eyes.

"I'll wait in the kitchen for you." The brunette said and closed the door after he had left.

Ryoma rushed into the bathroom, brushing his teeth and taking a quick shower. He sprinted back to his bedroom and put on his school uniform. The boy paused in his movement when he saw a figure at the other side of his room across the window. The bluenette was already in his uniform and Ryoma believed to see a tennis bag on the older guy's shoulder. How interesting. Maybe he could ask the bluenette for a match. Just to see if he had a good tennis player around to practice with, not because he wanted to know more about him…

He couldn't stop staring, listening to every word the stranger-like bluenette spoke but not realizing any, only listening to the calm and melodically voice. The creaking of the door behind him made him shake his head, trying to focus on anything else than the sight of the beauty next window.

* * *

Syusuke had already waited more than five minutes and his new friend hadn't still shown up yet. It was boring to wait as Syusuke had always been an inpatient person. Being bored meant being annoyed and what else could he do to change his mood than playing and teasing his little new kohai? Deciding that a fast peek at Ryoma wouldn't be so bad because it would bring him another one of those shocked and annoyed glares, he stood up from the small kitchen chair and headed to Ryoma's room.

He sneaked into the room for the second time today. The sight which greeted him surprised him and changed his mood for the worse. The sight made him furious… His new fascination was lost in thoughts, his view directed out of the window inside the next house and straight to a blue-haired male whom Syusuke knew all too well. He gritted his teeth.

He wasn't amused at all that his new enigma had found interest in someone other than him. The teen hadn't even noted him coming inside his room another time. He would change it! The tensai placed his angel-look back on his face, opening the door with a loud creaking sound.

"Ryoma, it's time to go." He pulled on the sleeves of the named teen's uniform and pushed him out of his own room. Syusuke's neck tickled and burnt as a sharp piercing glare hit him from behind and he put on a satisfied smirk all the while opening his blue eyes to give the person across the room the same sharp and piercing glare. His blue eyes glared at violet eyes. The tension thickened, the hate and anger intensified. It was clearly visible, their dislike for each other.

_'Take your hands off of him, Yukimura. This time I won't give in.'_


	5. The Mighty King Arrives

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

**_~~ The Mighty King Arrives ~~_**

**_~~ 25. February, Early Morning ~~_**

Ryoma got pushed out of his house, felt the nails of the other teen dig into his flesh painfully. His father laughed from the door, having a magazine with naked women in his right hand and a piece of bread with egg in his left one, biting in it in delight. Great, today he could have a decent meal which wasn't burnt but instead he was dragged out of his own home. The disagreeing teen felt his jaw fall when a long dark purple limousine stayed right before his house. His eyes opened wide in confusion and his view wandered from the beginning to the end of the long and unaffordable car. Who the hell found the necessity to drive with such a bragging thing in the morning? Ryoma didn't need to wait to receive an answer.

A man, from Ryoma's view on a butler or servant, opened the door of the car and out came a young man named Atobe Keigo. It was clearly visible as the name was written on his uniform in big letters so everybody knew who he was. Also his presence alone screamed _'pay me attention because I'm the best'_. The newcomer wore a light brown jacket with a white shirt beneath and a red necktie around the neck. The trouser was in a darker color than the jacket. It was the uniform of the school in the middle of the three buildings – Hytoei Academy.

The young teen wanted to puke when the scent of roses and other flowers hit his sensitive nose. A tickling sensation overwhelmed his poor nose and he sneezed loudly. He had always been allergic against the scent of roses and other sorts of flowers. He took a few steps back, rubbing his itching nose. The Fuji-guy blinked at him before understanding his reason for backing off. Ryoma sneezed again.

"Good morning, Kei." The brunette began to chat, left his side and stepped forwards to the purple-haired teen. Fuji stood on his toes and, to the mute's utter horror, kissed the stranger on the left cheek. Ryoma's eyes widen, watching with surprise and horror the scene in front of him. He blinked a couple of times, completely overwhelmed with the sudden change of situation. Since when was that allowed? Was it normal to kiss another guy in Japan? Wasn't it in some other country a greeting? Maybe France? But Japan? No, that could have been never a simple greeting. The kiss lasted far too long as to be a greeting between two male friends.

"Morning, Syu." Fuji walked back, stopped beside Ryoma and grabbed his left wrist, holding it tightly in his surprisingly rather strong grip. The mute struggled to free his hand and shot his neighbor a piercing glare. His intensive gaze met icy blue orbs, sharp and rigid. "And who might this shorty here be? Ore-sama has never seen him before."

Short!

On Ryoma's forehead popped up a vein. How he hated it to be called short. The mute turned his burning glare to the newcomer, hoping to see the wanting reaction. Instead of stumbling back, the guy named Keigo narrowed his eyes, stayed still and waited. The following words truly startled the teen.

"Ore-sama doesn't like your gaze. Say, shorty, what is your name." The mute watched, only watched. It irritated most of the people and it seemed, the diva didn't like it either. Ryoma only smirked and kept his mouth and hands shut. Why should he tell this guy his name? He hadn't even introduced himself. "Ore-sama told you to say your name!"

Ore-sama? How many strange guys were going to his school or near his school? First Fuji and now there was this guy who wasn't right in his mind. He acted as if he owned everything and was a present from the gods personally. What a monkey king!

"Maa, maa, don't yell so early in the morning, Kei. You know it gives you wrinkles and that would ruin your beautiful face." Fuji chuckled and played with a strand of purple hair. Ryoma wanted to puke even more after hearing such a comment about someone's look. This was so not like being a man….

"Ah, you're right, Syu. Thanks for remembering Ore-sama."

"And to answer your question, the student before you is Echizen Ryoma, freshman in Seigaku, transferred here a few days ago from the Untied States."

"Echizen Ryoma... I have heard the name before..." Atobe Keigo mumbled to himself and put his hand on his chin. Soon, he changed his _'I'm thinking'_-position, flipped his gorgeous hair back which would make every female student shriek. "Be honored by Ore-sama's presents, Echiz-" Atobe noted fast enough that the brat wasn't listening to him at all. The boy's attention lay on the bluenette who left his house right at the moment, biding his family inside goodbye. Ryoma couldn't look away, stared directly at the beauty and didn't notice Atobe's curious and appraising view at him.

Yukimura straightened his uniform and notice the three teens in front of his house. He went straight to them and Ryoma felt his heart skip a beat for the nth time since he had arrived here in Japan, which wasn't even a handful of days ago. Though, this time it wasn't out of shock or disgust, but for another reason. His heart skipped a beat because he was excited to play a match against the bluenette, nothing else. There was surely no other reason.

"Keigo, good morning. Are you here to pick me up for the meeting?" Yukimura went up to Monkey King, kissed him on the lips with his tongue sliding over the bottom lips slightly. A shiver overwhelmed Ryoma and he asked himself for the reason…. Was it really normal to greet people like this in Japan? Or were all guys in this street….. were their bodies flooded with hormones but the girls were too much to handle? Well, if Ryoma remembered the incidence from yesterday with the girls in his class he could understand…. The bluenette was truly a beauty…. for a guy…..

"Meeting?" Fuji questioned and interrupted Ryoma's train of thoughts.

"Yeah, a meeting for the captain and Vize-captain of the three tennis clubs. Nothing you need to worry about as you're just a simple regular in your team."

"Right because I don't need to brag about my ability to lead other people. I know how good I am and how good I play tennis." Ryoma felt an icy cold shiver and the uncomfortable air around them like a blanket around his body. The thunder was close to erupt. One tiny bit more and the lightnings would flow. The mute saw the lightnings in both eyes as they glared at each other.

Better to go before he was in the middle of those thundering people. Making this decision, Ryoma walked around the two tensais and also beside Monkey King, leaving them behind. He knew now where his school is, had watched outside while Fuji's sister had driven him and the other guys to school.

"Hey, brat." Atobe called, seeing how the teen had used the chance to walk alone to the school while he had tried to calm his boyfriend and lover. "Do you want to have a ride with the great Ore-sama?" The wonderful self of Atobe twitched visibly as he got ignored by the freshman. Ryoma continued to stomp along the road. Seeing two guys kissing in front of him twice was enough for his poor mind.

"Ryoma!" Fuji left the bluenette mid-sentence and followed his new enigma. The other two stared after them.

"Keigo, we should get in the car if we want to be there on time." Yukimura saw the swing of mood in his lover's eyes. Keigo had something in mind, something Yukimura wouldn't like to hear. His diva-like boyfriend told him he was the only one for him... but sometimes it looked as if….. Could he trust his boyfriend's words? The lovers entered the limousine and waited inside in silence to arrive at their schools. Keigo gazed out of the dark-toned windows, thinking strongly about something. It didn't go on unnoticed by his boyfriend. "What makes you think so hard?"

"Echizen...Ryoma..." Yukimura's ears peaked up by Atobe's voice.

"What?" The bluenette asked and looked surprisingly at his lover. "Where did that come from?"

"The new guy, the small one, you have met just now was Echizen Ryoma... I have heard the name before but can't remember when or where."

"Echizen Ryoma? Maybe Echizen Ryoma as in son of Echizen Nanjiroh?" The diva looked surprised for a second, nevertheless, recovered soon. He rose an asking brow, waited for Seiichi to continue. "I have read an article about him yesterday night. He is the best tennis player in the junior tennis section, has also beaten a few of the senior section. They talk highly about him. Why he is here in Japan - nobody can understand."

"mhmmm... interesting..."

"What a waste... he is going to Seigaku... but I'm sure he will change his mind quickly..."

"Seiichi, what are you up to?" His boyfriend smirked which wasn't a positive sign. The bluenette was smart and tricky. He could manipulate people if he wanted to and whatever he was planning, Atobe had not a very good feeling about it. Maybe he should warn Syusuke.

* * *

Ryoma arrived at school on time, at least on his second day. Fuji followed him all the time, asked him questions which he ignored. It was a complicated doing - it turned out that Fuji was a sadistic tensai with a strange liking on torturing people's minds and had a family of cacties standing on his window sill which he loved dearly….. Oh, and he loved something called Inui's juice. The emerald-haired teen shook his head, it was humiliating to think this person was his neighbor from now on. He was so screwed! His life would be hell if he wouldn't get ride of this Fuji-guy soon!

"Fujiko! Ochibi!" The youngest male hadn't the opportunity to look up. A heavy someone tackled him and a mess of dark red hovered in his face. He tried to shove the person away - it was to no avail. The guy sure had a strong grip around his throat.

"Hello, Eijiko."

"Fuji! Please, give me your homework in English, nya! I haven't understood a single word of the question! And we have Kuro-sensei today!" The redhead wailed and Ryoma rolled his eyes. Though, he didn't know if it was due to the tightening grip around his throat or the stupidity of this redhead.

_'Baka!'_

"You do know we have practice right now, don't you? When do you want to copy my answers?"

"Practice got cancelled. Tezuka and Oishi needed to go to a sudden meeting, Ryuzaki-sensei and Inui are sick. Momo bet Inui has played guinea pig on his own juices. I bet he is faking sick because he couldn't stop to create them and is too tired to go to school, nya."

...So it was another day without practice... without tennis... how boring.

Somewhere behind him stopped a car rolling and the scent from earlier rushed inside his nose, tickling it and making him sneeze loudly over and over again. Even if his sneezes were loud enough to hear a ring in his ears, it was drowned by the shrieks and gasps from all the sudden groups and herds of girls. The squeaking, high and way too loud, made it clear for Ryoma... it must have been the Monkey King's fangirls. Such crazy girls. They surrounded the mighty king and also the bluenette, wished them a good morning and asked them all sort of minor questions. Ryoma couldn't believe he heard right when a girl asked Monkey King which conditioner he had used this morning to make his hair so glorious. Oh god... Where the hell had his father sent him?

To some kind of funny farm for teenagers with too much of hormones?  
Wait... then why was he here?

Atobe lifted his right hand and flicked with his fingers. An echoing flick resounded. "Thank you, my loyal beauties. Ore-sama wishes you a magnificent morning as well." The girls squeaked and some even fainted when the arrogant monkey flipped his hair back.

Ryoma wanted to puke. The girls must have lost their minds or maybe he was just lucky enough to be a boy with style? Or maybe there was a third option which would actually prove that his guess was right. The girls were flooded with hormones and had lost their minds... That must be it... Well...

He shook his head and made his way inside the building, now knowing where to go. Better to get away from those freaks as soon as possible. Who knew what could happen if he stayed too long with Monkey King... and with he annoying girls... Ryoma hated girls if all of them acted and reacted like those in his new class.

Man, he was tired from all the walking and thinking so early in the morning... Thankfully he had a double class English for the start. Perfect, he would use this chance and take a little nap.

The three pairs of eyes following his every movement went on unnoticed by him.

* * *

The bell rang and his English teacher entered the class, the students stood up. Ryoma was the last to stand and received a strict glance from his teacher. Only then did he actually notice that it wasn't the same teacher like yesterday. This one was quite familiar, although Ryoma couldn't remember where he had seen him before.

"Bow!" The teacher, Kuro-sensei, said in his military-like voice. The students shivered slightly and bowed deeply. The class was quiet, every sneeze was suppressed, every cough hindered. Ryoma bowed a little bit - still not knowing why - to avoid any stress and punishment. "Sit!" The students sat down again, neat and straight like in military. Maybe he wouldn't get a chance to sleep.

"As you have heard the flu goes around and most of your weak teacher are sick, so now I'm in charge for Nakato-sensei. My name is Kuro-sensei and if you want to learn something, be something, than go to Rikkaidai." Ryoma blinked. Where did that come from? The class winced in fright.

"Quiet! The lesson starts from here on. Nobody speaks unless I order him to. Understood?" The students nodded violently, frightened. What the hell was going on here? Had Rikkaidai always such strict teachers? Poor students. It would be one boring class and as if his body wanted to agree with his mind, Ryoma yawned. In the wrong moment. The teacher happened to look in his direction just this moment. A stress-vein beat violently on his left temple and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You there!" The emerald-haired teen gazed out of the window. The teacher was gone for him, somewhere back in his mind. "I spoke to you, freshman, Echizen Ryoma!" The freshman turned his head around, surprised to look directly at Kuro-sensei's stomach. The man was thin but his height was amazing - Ryoma guessed around 190 cm.

"Is my lesson so boring? Why don't you go on the black board and answer my question? Go!" Kuro-sensei's face was red from anger. Nobody would yawn in his lesson! The student walked to the front, yawned and waited for the teacher to tell him his question. Instead of a question, the older man shoved a thick book in his hand.

"Translate page 152 the last ten sentences." Ryoma smirked in triumph. It was too easy. His new English teacher, who thought he didn't understand a thing and wanted to embarrass him in front of his class, would lose this little game. It took exactly 3 minutes and 47 seconds for Ryoma to write the ten sentences down correctly. His smirk grew by the stunned expressions of his classmates and especially by Kuro-sensei's red glowing face. He bet if there was a possibility there would be steam coming out of his ears.. "You..."

Sensei cleared his throat, he was irritated and Ryoma could already see how his teacher's mind search for another way to torture him. The guy must have been by the military, always scaring the freshmen with his harsh attitude. "You can sit down." Ryoma's smirk never left as he did what Kuro-sensei ordered.

All the while was Kuro-sensei going to his own desk, opening the folder with the details of all students in this class and looked up once more. He read through Echizen Ryoma's file... further and further. Nothing. None weak point. All his grades were at least a B or even better. Having a private tutor wasn't something to be ashamed of as he had gone to one himself...

So where was this guy's weakness... Everyone had one... There!

Ryoma saw the teacher grin, then viewing up to him anew. The mute didn't like the grin nor the flash in his teacher's eyes. Something was wrong here, not like planned. Kuro-sensei had found something to harass and embarrass him.

"Echizen Ryoma, I want you to explain the structure of your sentences." And it dawned Ryoma what he had found out... He glared at the teacher for taking advantage of his sensitive spot. He wouldn't answer, no matter how hard the teachers would try. He had made a promise and he would keep it.

_"Promise me... promise, you won't tell, you won't speak! If you promise me, I'll stay by your side." The child before him looked at him with tears in the eyes. Blood covered their clothes, not theirs but still familiar. Innocent and young had they been, didn't understand the real, cruel world._

_"Ryoma... I beg you... stop using your voice... for us.. for her sake... Tsukiko... we don't want to lose her, too...Please!" The elder man had begged him, shook him on his shoulders. Tears streamed and the man cried in his arms. It wasn't the older man comforting him but the child comforting the older man. The child nodded._

"You will be staying late after school for your refusal of work. One whole week. Next, you over there with the brown piggy-tails..." Kuro-sensei's voice grow quieter in his head with each word. Refusal of work? How? He was declared mute, asshole! He couldn't and wouldn't speak! How should he answer if he didn't have a voice like everybody thought? Nobody in his family knew he had a voice.

Staying late for not answering. The school was crazy... with totally idiotic teachers. The rest of the English class was mind-ripping. He had acted as if he read, instead he slept with open eyes. He wanted to play tennis, needed it so he would be able to suppress the incoming wave of sadness overwhelming him. He needed it to calm down, to feel the adrenaline in his veins and the sweat on his skin. His muscles ached to hold a racquet.

Ryoma smiled when he saw a distressed teen with spiky-black hair running to one building to another. As if he searched for something or someone. The teen also noticed that a few more students walked on the schoolyard and in the direction of the tennis courts. He could see them from here, though, only one half of one court as the others were behind his back. The students wore all the same uniform as him, only with one or two more stripes on their jackets - showing the students were juniors or seniors.

The emerald-haired teen recognized Fuji and also the jumpy redhead called... what was it again? Eijiko or something like that.

So Fuji played tennis?

Interesting.


	6. The Detention

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

_**~~ The Detention ~~**_

_**~~ 25. February, Midday ~~**_

Finally, the last lesson ended before lunch break and Ryoma yawned joyfully. As soon as the horde of girls began to surround him and start to quack, he sprinted out of the class room with his tennis bag in his hands. The noisy girls shrieked after him, called for him - he bluntly ignored it. He rushed outside and searched for a perfect place for him and his beloved tennis. The tennis courts were empty once again so it was no option.

A lonely and shadowed place which would hide him from those annoying students would do it. A place just for himself, time to relax and forget. Ryoma found it soon enough. A place behind the large building where only a handful of students could see him. Ryoma settled his bag down and unzipped his uniform jacket to lay it next to the bag. It would get dirty and sweaty if he played with it. The teen pulled out a handful of tennis balls and his red racket. He didn't want to waste any more time, threw one of the fizzy yellow balls up in the air and waited for the right time to hit it with all his power.

A banging sound erupted, surrounded him and Ryoma angled his knees and pulled back, ready to hit the ball another time with the same force. It bounced as it connected once more with his racquet. Sliding sounds followed the small ball, echoing against the wall. His eyes sparkled in excitement, his emerald-colored hair waved in the light wind. Ryoma hit it over and over again, repeated the action till a sheen of sweat covered his face. Till he lost the feeling of being there, lost the feeling of his surroundings entirely.

The mute jolted out of his focus all the more as another ball from the shadows entered his sight, bounced against the wall and returned. Ryoma frowned, someone was interrupting his practice! A thing which he hated the most. However, the hit of the ball was out of reflex. It hit with even more strength than the other ball and it connected with the wall and sped up, shot backwards right to the newcomer who had thrown the ball into the game. A sharp yelp echoed behind him and the person fell to the ground soundly with a yelp.

"Hey, brat! You did that on purpose! That's mean!" Ryoma spun on his heels and smirked at the intruder who lay on the ground and wore a blue tennis uniform with the letters _SEIGAKU_ on the back. A few students had gathered around him, had watched his moves and were left stunned in awe. Since when had they watched him? The guy collected himself fast from his surprise and stood up, his chest puffing up with hurt pride. "Don't you know who I am? I'm a junior in Se-"

"I sadly need to agree with this...junior of yours. It's not very nice to hit balls against another people's head, especially when the shot came from a poor player." The gentle voice sounded amused, joyful to say at least. Ryoma snorted at the spoken words. "Isn't it better to play against someone who can give you a challenge and fight back, instead of playing with a wall?"

Ryoma lifted his head a bit, pierced the person in front of him with his golden eyes and smirked in a mocking way. Nonetheless, his mask was shattered as he noted who stood right in front of him. The bluenette wore a dark green uniform with three strips on his neck. A senior, Ryoma guessed. Nevertheless, he would recognized those feature everywhere. His beautiful neighbor from next window. Was it really real?

Did the bluenette know who he was? Perhaps he had seen him watching...ehm... observing him yesterday...

Hopefully not!

Ryoma had no clue how he would react if the bluentte really ask him out about it.

Another guy with the same uniform as the bluenette, slim shoulders and an emotionless expression on his face entered his sight. The newcomer had short brown hair and closed eyes and watched him for a second, then leaned forward to his friend and whispered something in his ear. The bluenette shook his head in playfulness and chuckled in his tender voice, his eyes grew gentler, almost tender.

He directed his attention to Ryoma again. "Maybe another time. My name is Yukimura Seiichi. I'm the captain of Rikkaidai's tennis club and it seems like my team needs me right now..." Yukimura observed him from head to toe which gave Ryoma a shiver. Somehow, he felt like he was under some kind of scanner. "...or maybe you want to come along with us?"

The silence broke and the students started to hush, gossip and whisper to each other. Ryoma blinked, glanced around to the surprised and frightened pupils. The teen knew, he had missed some important details again because he couldn't understand why it was so surprising to get an invitation to a simple tennis match from a student of another school. It was a very tempting offer, having a match with the captain of the other school, and Ryoma would have agreed immediately if the sudden hand on his right shoulder wouldn't have grabbed him with very much pressure and force. "I doubt it's necessary for him to go with you. If he wants to have some worthy opponents, he can come to us. You shouldn't underestimate us, Yukimura!"

Ryoma felt goosebumps on his skin and trembled slightly when another strong hand landed on his neck and stroke it painfully. He tried to slap the hand away from his neck but it remained there and more hands pulled him backwards. There was a group of eight around him, all wore blue and white tennis uniforms. He looked up and his orbs stayed by two familiar brunettes. The teen recognized the newcomer as Fuji and the glasses wearing brunette from yesterday who had helped him to keep the tensai from his neck.

"Don't worry, I won't. We're not like you." The atmosphere changed into a tense and icy coldness, the school yard was once more quiet and Ryoma felt chills rushing up and down his spin. Something was clearly wrong here...

Yukimura shot them one last glare, then directed his orbs, gentler now, at the small freshman of Seigaku. "Come to our tennis courts after school if you want to have a match against me, Echizen Ryoma." He walked in the opposite direction with the broad-shouldered guy behind him. Ryoma's orbs were glued on the bluenette and his friend, he watched them till he couldn't see them anymore.

The hand on his shoulder pushed him forwards into the other direction and straight to his school. Fuji's friends, Ryoma recognized them as the people who he had seen after his first ride with Fuji's siblings, followed by and cursed at the captain of Rikkaidai. The youngest teen gazed at the firm grip on his shoulder and up to the source of it. Fuji's pure blue eyes were open, watching him like a hawk. Ryoma didn't understand what was going on. "You shouldn't get too close to Yukimura. He may not look like it but he's very manipulative."

The first bell resounded and the students stomped back inside their classes. Ryoma heard from a classmate, Horio with two years of tennis experience, the regulars of Seigaku were strong, especially two of them, and the rivalry between the three school, Seigaku, Hyotei and Rikkaidai was a tradition. Sadly, it grew so harsh between them a year ago that all the students broke friendships with the students from another school. The reason for it? Ryoma had fallen asleep during the telling, dreaming from the matches he would have later on.

Maybe the school wasn't so bad...

* * *

"What is so important for you to call me so urgently?" The captain of the Rikkaidai tennis club asked and walked up to the clubhouse where the regular waited in front of the door. Though, one of the regulars wasn't there.

"Here, Yukimura-buchou." Marui Bunta handed him a sheet of paper with a sigh escaping his lips. Seiichi read it carefully before frowning and viewing up in his friends' eyes. "How can he be so bad when you teach him all the time? We thought he would actually get better in this as soon as you personally teach him."

"Thanks, I'll talk to him today. It seems like we need to think about some new methods to help him."

"Who was the boy you had spoken with?" His friend Niou Masaharu questioned, blocking his way to walk away. The regulars grinned by Seiichi's perplexed and stunned face as Marui said, "Niou was there and told us.". They all waited for a reaction coming from their captain. The bluenette blinked and glared sweetly at the regulars of his tennis team.

"It's rare for you to invite someone to come here. Even the more interesting after we heard that he goes to Seigaku. I always thought we're through with them." Seiichi knew his friends didn't mean any harm by asking him, nonetheless, it nagged him that they were watching his every move, especially Yanagi who liked to collect data from all players but mostly from him as Seiichi was a master of hiding his true intentions and emotions.

"Echizen Ryoma, he comes from the States and lives here with his father right next to my house. He had never lost a game so far and I'm certain you have seen him play a while ago." The group nodded, understanding his choice.

"I see, Oshitari Yuushi from Hyotei was faster than me." Yanagi, the so called professor, opened his own brown eyes and glanced at his best friend. The sparkle, the joy in Seiichi's expression was unusual and he still couldn't tell the meaning behind it. But he could tell what his dear friend was planning. "You want him to join us, don't you?"

"It would be a pity to give him Fuji or Tezuka."

"There it goes again." Marui whispered, quiet enough for only him to hear, and chewed continually on his green gum. Jackal sighed and rubbed his hair-less head, Yagyou Hiroshi pushed his glasses up his nose with his index finger while Niou grinned and had a maliciously gleam in his eyes.

"Still having a grudge against them?" Sanada Genichirou leaned against the wall with crossed arms and a frown between his brows. His best friend glared at him, fire burning inside the old wound in their hearts.

"Yeah, I have. I just can't understand how you don't!" Seiichi hissed, his angel-like voice sinking an octave down.

"I have already forgiven him... them."

"Even when you still... When they are still..." Seiichi shook his head, smiled bitterly and shook his head in disappointment. "You have a strong mind, Gen. However, you have a weak heart."

_**~~ 25. February, Early Afternoon ~~**_

_"I think I like him. The guy in my class, I mean. He's really cute and treats me so gently. You should find someone special, too." The two ate some ice cream in a little cafe. It was a warm and sunny day, the sun fell tiredly down and signalled with it the incoming twilight. "Papa said he would buy me the necklace for my birthday which I wanted for so long. Has your father given you the tennis grip you wanted since last Christmas?" The teen looked up with his golden eyes and after a little pause, he nodded and continued to eat the melting ice cream._

_"I'll miss you. You need to come back and visit as soon as possible. Don't forget me!" His uncle and cousin waved their hands in Goodbye as Ryoma and his father left for the plane which would lead them to Tokyo. There was nothing left for him to stay. No reason for him to stay behind and wait. His mother wouldn't get back together with his father, but she promised to visit him or take him to her new home whenever he had holidays._

_She promised to call him every Friday evening, telling him what she had lived through and asking for his well being. His mother loved him. She had given him a kiss on the forehead when they had bid goodbye, even when he hadn't wanted it in front of his father, uncle and only cousin._

_"You promised not to speak! You promised! I have heard you, you liar. I hate you, Ryoma! I hate your voice! Ryoma!"_

"Echizen Ryoma!" The teen jolted out of his dreams, panting and staring at the nothing in front of him. His thoughts were hazy, his mind blocked by the memories of his past, the nightmares hadn't come back to him for quite a while now. He had already believed to have fought and won over them, though, he must have been wrong.

The mute had no chance to really wake up and notice that the last lesson had just ended a few minutes ago. "I'm here to get you for your extra study." and with that said, Kuro-sensei grinned cruelly and jerked him out of his seat. His wrist got crushed by the iron-like grip as he was dragged behind the tall man. Ryoma pulled his wrist back twice, disliking being dragged away and looked at like a little child. He earned a deathful glare from his action and the grip on his wrist only tightened. The other students stared at him and some even dared to laugh and grin, making fun of him. How embarrassing, he wanted to shot a tennis ball against their heads to silence them!

Well, he would beat the crap out of them as soon as he had his beloved racquet in his hand once again which was currently in Kuro-sensei's iron-grip too.

He heard the students in the brown uniforms giggle and especially the girls would hush something in their friends' ears which made them laugh all the more. A light sheet of pink colored Ryoma's face when he saw the face of the Monkey King from the morning, grinning from one ear to another.

Ryoma's view swayed to the left as he wanted to look forward and not see the other students any longer. And it would have happen if just... this face...

His eyes were glued immediately to a guy with boyish features. His hair was short and black, his face a little bit darker than the average and his small eyes were surrounded by a dark brown iris. The world froze for a moment, all color drained out of Ryoma's face. His lips formed one name, his never leaving the guy's face. He shook his head in disbelief and rubbed his eyes with his free hand.

It was gone, the person... was gone but for a second he believed to have seen... could it be? No...

His body moved on its own, his head swung to the right again, his eyes searched automatically for this face. Nonetheless, his eyes never met with those dark eyes, instead Ryoma looked with his golden orbs in purple ones. Monkey King frowned and watched him now with all his attention, the large grin was gone.

Their long stare stopped as soon as Ryoma entered the left building wit the engraved name _Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku. _He got shoved up onto the first floor and into the second room of the corridor. Inside sat a big group of different students, some with brown uniforms, some with black uniforms like his and very few with dark green uniforms. Ryoma was still thinking about his hallucination, overcoming the shock of the dream, the nightmare, obeying the teacher without much of a fight.

"Oh.. It's you!" It took him a couple of seconds to recognized that the words were directed at him. He snapped out of his thoughts and shoved the shadows of his past back in his mind. Now was not the time to memorize his past. The teen would have loved to bang his head against his tennis racquet after what was the worst fortunate ever. Next to him sat the devil personally and pointed with his bare index finger at him, declaiming loudly for everyone to hear. "You're the brat who run off without thanking Jackal-senpai for his help!"

Ryoma, blunt as he was, shrugged his shoulders and began with his daily routine of ignoring every possible person. His mind was still too occupied with handling the crazy trick of his imagination. He must have seen a ghost, a hallucination... It couldn't be...

Kuro-sensei silenced them with a loud yell, gave them a mountain of papers and declared for everyone to fill them out, or they were not allowed to go to their club activity or home. Ryoma was all the more pleased when he saw his mountain had mostly lessons in English and Japanese writing. He couldn't stop the smirk on his face.

* * *

"Don't talk, don't make any noises, don't do something stupid. Don't do anything other than writing. Now begin with your work!" The teacher sat down on the chair and watched them carefully with hawk's eyes.

The students those days were weak - all of them wimps with no brain. Well, he couldn't expect anything less with that kind of teachers which Seigaku had. Hyotei was still on its way of improvement, though, not so much had happened the past few months and the students were still slacking off - those rich kids. The students from his school, from Rikkaidai were all neat, polite and smart. All thanks to his hard work.

It would be a real challenge to turn those Seigaku brats and pussies into charming and smart students, nonetheless, he had decided to take this challenge. He would manage to help those poor students to attain a better life and personality.

His sharp orbs narrowed dangerously by the sight of one smirking teen with emerald hair. Not again this annoyance of student. The teen lifted his left hand. Kuro-sensei couldn't help his own smirk appearing on his face. The little guy wanted his help, hm? So he wasn't so smart as he had bragged with this morning. "Too bad, boy, but I won't answer any questions." Kuro-sensei snorted and crossed his arms in front of his chest, satisfied the kid had a hard time to finish his tasks. His grin disappeared as the teen wrote something on the backside of the paper and lifted it up, clear for him to see in bold English letters: FINISHED. CAN I GO NOW?

It made him laugh all the more. He scanned the room, saw the distressed students who hadn't even answered half of all questions. One of them caught his attention from all the others. The one who was the worst in English. This student, as far as Kuro-sensei knew, was still by the third question and already at the end with his patient and nerves. "Oi, you." All of the students looked up, hoped not to be the lucky one who the words were directed at. "Mute boy, you can go after he," The teacher pointed at the curly black-haired guy next to Ryoma. "has finished his question."

* * *

The word _mute_ was the factor which caused Ryoma to glare and give him all the attention he never wanted and liked if he wasn't on a court. The other students gazed and stared at him in disbelief. Though, thanks to his teacher's presence nobody was hushing and gossiping out loud about him. Even so, Ryoma had no doubt that they would do so as soon as they were out of Kuro-sensei's sight. They would stop to gaze and pick at him soon. In a week or so it would be nothing new and they would stop all the crap. It had always been like this, whenever he was somewhere foreign and new.

He would need to wait for the other guy? Couldn't be so bad, right? Wasn't the guy from Kuro-sensei's school? If Ryoma saw correctly, then there were only two with those dark green uniforms, three with brown uniforms and twelve with black uniforms like his. The teacher really favored Rikkaidai, hm? Or maybe they were really so neat and smart like the teacher praised them to be. The guy would finish the questions soon but somehow he believe it wasn't so easy as he wanted it to be. Why would Kuro-sensein choose the devil of all the other student?

Ryoma glanced at the guy next to him and looked at his sheet of papers with the question. He wailed silently at the teacher for not being fair.

If the guy didn't hurry up and got a miraculous brainwave in the next few minutes... Oh god, Ryoma could already see the end of practice before he could make a step out of here.

_**~~ 25. February, Late Afternoon ~~**_

Kirihara Akaya really tried his best not to be slow but the foreign words spooked all over the papers and he couldn't understand a thing! He was the last one in the room except the guy sitting beside him. Practice would be called closed for today in less than ten minutes. Mura-buchou would be angry to know that he hasn't even finished half of the task that were given to him at the beginning of the lesson.

The freshman beside him looked straight past him and out of the window, dreaming, he guessed. Nobody beside the two of them and Kuro-sensei, whose face seemed tired and his eyes shut over and over again, were here. He had around twenty more questions to answer. Twenty!

Shit, how badly he wanted to play tennis right now! He was reading another question, after he swallowed the thick lump in his throat and wiped the sweat from his forehead, when the papers were ripped out of under his hands and so was the pencil. Akaya wanted to yell but the hand over his mouth prevented him from doing so. The teen beside him motioned him to be quiet and started to scribble down some strange words. The next two minutes were unbelievable for him. The brat was smart enough to answer the questions of a junior and some were even for seniors! How...?!

The teen stood up, packed all the things in his big tennis bag and banged them at the front desk, scaring Kuro-sensei very well, and was hurriedly on his way to leave the room. Kirihara broke out of his shock, rushing after the mute teen. "Hey, you! Wait!" He had heard Kuro-sensei's words and it surprised him to actually find a mute around here.

The guy grabbed for the handle of the door and wanted to open it but the door slid unclose and revealed a brown and a blue-haired senior in a grey/white tennis outfits. They blocked their way out.


	7. Fighting Over Small Things

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

**~~ Fighting Over Small Things ~~**

**~~ 25. February, Late Afternoon ~~**

Where the hell was his son? He was supposed to be home ten minutes ago but still wasn't. Nanjiroh tried his best not to panic, not to sprint out of the door and search for his cute son with a large sign over his head - his son's name on it. He was worried, he was scared and, all thanks to Ryoma, he was thinking about having done the wrong thing. Maybe a public school wasn't good for him after all?

Oh god, if someone had bullied his petite and boyish son... he had a feminine side, Nanjiroh couldn't deny it. His dear son came after his beautiful mother. His big eyes - though they were pretty sharp and piercing most of the time - and his delicate skin and the well formed body thanks to the regular tennis practice... Hopefully, nobody had taken his son away, kidnapped him...

His son hadn't showed any signs of being a victim of some bullies or fights, he had acted like always - like an antisocial brat. Had he overseen the signs? Rinko, his ex-wife and Ryoma's mother, would kill him if something had happened to their son! No, he had watched him play against the friendly teen with the spiky hair. The other guys, who lived in the neighborhood, seemed to be nice and gentle, too. The girl with the blue eyes, who lived opposite of them, seemed to be very tender and soft, even if she looked strange with her boyish clothes. He hoped his son saw the same and would go out with her. They would make a good couple.

"Meow..." Karupin sat in front of him and waited for the old man to play with him. Nanjiroh ignored him and drummed his fingers onto the kitchen table in a fast rhythm. He would wait five more minutes, then go out and search for his son. "Meow, meow..."

It took two more minutes before he rose from the seat and stormed outside, yelling for his son. The people glanced and stared at him as if he was one of those crazy mothers, nonetheless, he didn't care. His nerves lay blank, his mind told him to run faster and search in every corner. His son had never been late. His son had never been out alone! Where was he now?

* * *

Ryoma ignored the two newcomer and went past them and along the corridor. "Hey!" one of them called and sprinted up to him, walked beside him. "Echizen Ryoma, Atobe, our captain, wants to see you." Ryoma ignored them further till they reached the exit of the building and both guys stood on each side of him. The sun blinded his sensitive eyes for a second before he saw and heard a horde of squeaking girls. His ears rang from the shrieking and he started to move again, ran straight to the large school gate. However, before he could reach it someone snapped with his fingers and the ground quietened abruptly as if a spell shut their mouths. "Echizen Ryoma, son of samurai Nanjiroh..."

The called teen stopped abruptly, turned around and sighed heavily. In front of him, surrounded by other students, stood Monkey King in his full glory, posing like an idiot. Ryoma laughed inside his mind. The image, which played in his fantasy, made him smirk. "...You should be awed by Ore-sama's presence. I invite you to have a great meal with me and Seiichi. Afterwards you are allowed to join Hyotei's tennis club." Ryoma's ears peeked up by the bluenette's name, his view searching for him. Before he could focus on any face, broad shoulders blocked his view and the teen glanced up, saw the brunette with glasses from the other day.

Tezuka Kunimitsu, as Horio had told him more than once today during the breaks where there hadn't been a chance to run off. The guy was annoying and loud as hell, surely nobody he wanted to be near for a long time. Ryoma would hit a tennis ball straight in his face if Horio shouted one more time in his poor ears. He had already given up his voice, he didn't want to renounced his ears, too. "Atobe, as much as he would like to go, he has already some plans for today."

"Right, Ochibi needs to come with us to eat burgers!" Eiji hugged his cute kouhai and rubbed his cheek against the exotic soap smelling teen. He had always an addiction for fruits of every kind. Most of his favorites tasted sweet like strawberries, cranberries, raspberries and cherries. They had such a great color and taste... Mhm...

"Are you so afraid he would choose us instead of you that you leave him no choice? I'm sure he wants to use his time in a better way." Seiichi said and came out of the shadows behind Atobe, this time without the broad-shouldered guy from the last time. Ryoma smirked and his eyes gleamed in the afternoon sun. The bluenette's violet orb glanced at him and a brow rose perfectly.

"I'm sure our company is more appreciated than yours. Keigo seems to think the same." Fuji entered the battle field, and the teen heard the referee call: _Round 1!_ One thing he learned so fast, whenever those two, Fuji and Yukimura, saw or met each other, they would fight. The emerald-haired teen guessed they had had a very special relationship, otherwise they wouldn't react like jealousy wives who tried to surpass one another.

_SNAP_

The sound replayed in his good ears, he glanced up and searched for the source of the noise.

_**SNAP**_

Louder, faster and more intense. The sound was the only noise in his ears, he knew it far too good to misjudge it for anything else than the sound of a smacking tennis ball. The students around him faded one after another, left school as parents and friends picked them up. Just a little group of girls stayed to watch Monkey King and the other three fighting - Atobe and Tezuka tried to separate the two tensais. The students forgot him and his presence and he took the chance to take a peek at the tennis player. The sound led him away and along a way which ended at a few large tennis courts. He reached the courts soon enough to see an amazing shot, fast and directly aiming for the target.

His view landed immediately on the male, who stood in front of him, with the back to him. It was a male tennis player with short black hair and broad shoulders, only now he wore a black cap and a suitable yellow/black uniform. Ryoma was excited and happy to see someone worth of his full strength, he saw the focus and change of different emotions in the other teen's orbs. The black-haired guy threw the ball up and waited for it to come into the right angle to hit it. The younger teen was quicker, shoving his bag onto the ground and pulling out one of his three red racquets, he served and hit the ball with all the strength of his right hand.

The ball left an echoing, banging sound, flew across the air and hit the ball from the other guy, disturbed him by his serve. The older teen turned around, glared at him with his deep, dark brown eyes. Ryoma played with a ball in his hands, banged it on the floor and caught it, repeated the action a few times before he served anew. The tennis player narrowed his eyes in concentration, got in position and hit it back. The match between them started, neither needed to speak out the asked challenge.

15:00

15:30

30:30

30:40

Both were starting to sweat, a ghost of a smile was on Ryoma's lips. He enjoyed the sudden match, he wanted to feel the adrenaline in his veins and the feeling of freedom. He felt happy - after a long time, untamed and unbreakable. He had missed it, the feeling of a good challenge, a game with another person than his father. Something glittered in his challenger's eyes, he couldn't figure out what it was, nonetheless, he served once more, hitting the ball straight, so he wouldn't bounce against the ground. Sadly, his opponent seemed to have seen such a trick before as he knew exactly what to do. The ball flew past Ryoma, left not a single chance for him to hit it back.

40:40

The other guy got ready to serve, fire burnt in those brown orbs, something between excitement and desire stroke in them, made Ryoma curious about the next shot. His grip tightened around his racquet, his golden eyes sharpened and his focus was alone on the fuzzy ball which flew through the air. "Genichirou,..."

Both of them stopped immediately, slipped out of their trances and turned to the source of voice. Behind Ryoma stood the bluenette, arms crossed and a frown on his beautiful face. Ryoma liked the face, really did. What was he thinking?! "...you know that unofficial matches are against the rules. Especially with players out of Rikkaidai."

Huh?

Genichirou blinked twice before he bowed - why was he bowing? - and said in a strong voice: "I'm sorry, it won't happen again." He picked up the rolling ball, went up to his bag which stayed onto the ground near Yukimura and packed the ball and his racquet inside,

"I hope so." Yukimura's voice softened and so did his look. The mute watched them, listened to the talk between them. "Keigo wants to treat us for dinner. I would be happy if you would come along."

"Alright." Genichirou bowed again, shouldered his bag and left the courts, entered a small house - the club room, Ryoma guessed - and got out of the emerald-haired teen's sight. His golden orbs swayed to the bluenette, looked at the large tennis bag which hung over his neighbour's left shoulder. If the older student was the captain of the tennis club, he needed to be strong. He stepped forward, ready to challenge him but stopped as another person came up from afar and stopped right next to Yukimura.

"Ore-sama allows you to come along, Echizen Ryoma." Monkey King announced and flipped a strain of his hair back. It looked hilarious and Ryoma snorted by the sight but nodded. It couldn't be so bad to meet up with two - perhaps three - good players.

* * *

Ryoma listened half-heartily to their conversation, most likely tried to understand the moves of his opponent. Sanada Genichirou as Yukimura had introduced him, had managed to challenge him, to amuse him and forced him to think about a harder training with more fierce and care. How had his opponent managed to challenge him like this?

Nobody had the ability to hold his curiosity for long - nobody other than his own father. Perhaps he had found another person who could hold it longer than one or two matches. The teen couldn't loosen his gaze from him, he couldn't stop glaring. Sanada blinked and finally noticed his strong stare. Brown eyes narrowed dangerously and gazed back at him, not afraid to hold his piercing glare.

Seemed he was used to be stared at with such fierceness.

"Genichirou?" Sanada turned his head around and looked in his captain's beautiful eyes in question. Was it just Ryoma's imagination or was Yukimura's voice quite piercing and cold, almost monotone? "I would like it if you stayed away from Fuji and Tezuka. Both of them seem to plan something. Fuji actually told me that you had talked to him today after PE."

Violet orbs narrowed sharply and Ryoma would have never guessed that the beauty was actually capable of making such a scary face. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"I hope so." The bluenette sighed, relaxed his muscles and turned with a much more friendly and charming face to Ryoma. "Akaya told me that Kuro-sensei called you mute. Is it true?" Ryoma was surprised and shocked at how fast rumours travelled. He had at least expected to have a quiet afternoon.

The words were spoken quietly and without discomfort, he noticed the steady tone in the voice. The mute stared at the bluenette, enjoyed the melody in his ears, caused by the beautiful voice. He had had a great voice, too. Long ago before it all had happened. His parents had told him many times that he had sounded like an angel. At least before he hit puberty. He didn't know how his voice sounded now, after having lived through the vocal change. If it was still the same voice? Like _his_?

What was he thinking again? It didn't matter now...It was a dangerous thought and he should stop doing and thinking this thoughts before more of this stupidity plant themselves in his mind and caused him more pain than he already had...

Wait! No, he didn't have any pain from it... It was okay, it had been his choice and he didn't regret it. It was his choice and it had never harmed or caused him pain. Everything was fine. He gave his voice up long ago, speaking wasn't important. There were always other methods to communicate with others. Or even better, some wouldn't bother to learn those other methods and wouldn't bother him any longer and would leave him alone like he wanted them to be. Maybe the squeaking girls in his class would leave him alone now too, after hearing the rumor being true. Ryoma had no doubt they had already heard it and where now voting if they should fine him _even cooler_ or _plain strange_ and _bothersome_.

It wasn't that he couldn't understand the people around him. He would be too lazy too to learn another language only to be able to speak with one single person who wasn't even your friend. He understood them but they didn't understand him... well, who did it at all? He doubted anybody other than Karupin understood him - his daily emotions and behaviours and the reason behind them.

"Echizen?"

The teen blinked, chased the thoughts away and focused on Yukimura once more, remembering he hadn't answered him yet. He nodded as an answer and looked out of the window.

All three eyes narrowed carefully by the flick of expressions on the mute's face. Ryoma didn't notice it - swam in his own thoughts. The limousine stopped and parked right in front of the entrance of an unnaturally large mansion.


	8. The Slowly Growing Friendship

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything!**

* * *

**_~~ The Slowly Growing Friendship ~~_**

**_~~ 25. February, Early Night ~~_**

Ryoma blinked with his big eyes as he slipped out of the limousine and stood directly in front of a very large and well established building with an even so large garden in the front. It was like a palace. Who the hell would want to live in this bragging house? Obviously a certain Monkey King who had enough money to throw out. It would at least explain why he called himself _Ore-sama_ and also his all so mighty behaviour was now understandable.

The mute would need to admit, the place was beautiful but a little bit too large for his liking. Though, he would oversee the little thing as the sight of two large tennis courts on the left side of the mansion came into his view. One ground was made out of good cared and short cut grass as the second ground was made of the well known clay which was also used in the French Open tournament. Ryoma couldn't believe what he saw. The two courts were built with the finest material, on each side of the courts was a white bench and a small table. One of the table was filled with a handful of small water bottles, next to them stood also a handful of expensive looking glasses, followed by a platter filled with different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Which surprised Ryoma the most though were the butlers standing at every corner, ready to serve the master of the mansion.

Ryoma was stunned and could only stare at the unbelievable sight in front of him. Where was he?  
If Monkey King had an Onsen in his mansion too, Ryoma would actually try to be nice to him.

To the mutes utter disappointment did they not go immediately to the courts but straight forward into the mansion. The double door got opened by a row of maids who greeted the four with a deep bow and a synch speech of _Okaerinasai, Bocchan._

"Ah, get me, Seiichi, Sanada and my other guest something cool to drink to get them relaxed and bring it to the courts. We're going to play a little match." The maids bowed once again, ready to fulfil their master's wish and rushed off in all directions. They stopped all so abruptly when the master added on his way outside: "Oh, and maybe you could get mine and Seiichi's swim trunks. I would like to swim in the pool afterwards."

Atobe, Sanada and Yukimura walked outside a door on the left side of the very big main hall. The middle of the hall had two large stairs, leading a way up to the second floor. The walls were made out of dark shiny wood, the ceiling was one big stone and the floor was made out of creme-colored marble with dark red carpets here and there. The walls were decorated with different pictures, some of people's faces and some of daily things like bawls of fruits.

Ryoma could snatch a peek of a building looking exactly like Monkey King. The guy truly was a self-centred person.

"Echizen?" The called teen jolted out of his daze, walking behind Monkey King who opened and guided them through a large and glassy double door and out into a very large space which would be the garden. The courts were at the left; a pool and also a whirlpool were at the right side. The teen couldn't see so far but he was sure he heard a dog bark. Yukimura seemed to be familiar with everything because he took off his jacket, loosened the tie around his neck and opened the first three buttons of his shirt.

Ryoma avoided his eyes from the sight of the young man undressing and focused onto Monkey King who was doing the same, just like Sanada. Great! The reason for why they didn't put on their tennis clothes was unknown for him but he pulled out his own tennis outfit and changed into them quickly. First the shirt, then the pants. He was already standing onto one side of the court when the three noticed his impatience. The bluenette chuckled sweetly. "So eager to play."

"Ah, I want to try him as your rules forbid an unofficial match." Atobe smirked at the stupid rule, which his lover stood up for, and stepped onto the court with his racquet in hand. Yukimura and Sanada took place onto the luxurious chairs and thanked the maids for the drinks. Both seemed a bit... angry, almost disappointed. "Alright, brat. The great Ore-sama allows you to serve first as you're his honoured guest."

Ryoma snorted and smirked by the attitude. The match began. He threw the ball up in the air with his left hand and hit it with the racquet. Monkey King's grin was hit out of his face, literally. The ball bounced straight into his gorgeous face and left an ugly red mark behind. _Twist Serve_ was this shot called, one which his father had taught him in his young years. He could remember his first time really managing a good _Twist Serve_. His father had been so proud and cheerful as if he had just won the Wimbledon tournament.

Ryoma smirked proudly, having fun. He would show this Monkey King not to underestimate him. Atobe narrowed his eyes, confused and stunned at the same time. He had never seen a _Twist Serve_ and such a strong one at that too. The boy was good. He would enjoy this match. How far could he push the other teen? He had seen him earlier, playing against Sanada who wasn't so bad. Sanada had actually been pushed around for awhile till he had made a comeback. This would get pretty interesting.

"Do no cry at the end of the game when the great Ore-sama has beaten you." The teen shook playfully his head, only his smirk was visible, his eyes were hidden behind his bangs of emerald hair. The ball got thrown into the air once more. The racquet made a loud impact with the ball and thundered it straight over the field.

Soon the count was _1:0 for Echizen_.

It would be over soon_. _Ryoma got in position. It was Monkey King's time to serve. The fuzzy yellow ball flew across the net and landed sharply onto the ground. There was no bouncing at all. The ball pierced across the whole court and made it unable for Ryoma to hit it back. It went on like this - the teen was excited and smirked till it was _1:1_. Adrenaline washed through his entire body, every vein and muscle worked to its fullest.

Atobe laughed like a maniac and pointed with his racquet at his opponent. "The great Ore-sama is unbeatable! You have just seen my great serve the_ Tannhauser Serve_. Be awed by my unbeatable presence!" Someone cleared his throat and Ryoma saw the diva sweat drop and viewed at Yukimura who had interrupted them.

"If I remember correctly, I have beaten you the last time we have played against each other. And also Gen had managed to beat you once." Seemed liked he wasn't unbeatable like he wanted to be. Ryoma snorted through his nose, stifled a laugh and suppressed the need to show his amusement. He stood in position to defend his side of the court. Both seniors watched him while the diva put on the _Wanna-say-something?-_position.

"What do you want to say, brat? If you have something to complain about then say it n-" Atobe stopped abruptly, had gotten totally out of his diva-time by the realization of his words. "Ore-sama means…. Ah." Yukimura and Sanada, too, was at a loss of words, if it was because of the careless words from Atobe or because of the snorty attitude the boy showed before them – he truly didn't know. Ryoma rolled his eyes, it was everywhere and every time the same. That's why he didn't like company.

If one said he should _say_ something the whole room would suddenly quieten down and everyone would looked at him with the excusing eyes as if they were sorry for his _'loss'_. They all pitied him and he hated it! He hated it every freaking time he saw this certain expression in someone's orbs. He snapped with a finger, the sound echoed across the entire court and shook the three seniors out of their shock.

He made an annoyed gesture and told Monkey King with a clear sign to move his oh-so-gorgeous butt and continue to play the match.

But before the diva could even throw the ball into the air a maid cleared her throat and interrupted them. "Bocchan, there is a stranger in front of the mansion who claims to be the father of one of your guests. He is very... sad about his son's absence. He is actually wailing right now."

Ryoma's mood changed from excitement and fun to annoyance to very irritated. His father was the only person who would fit into such description. What was the old man thinking? Had his father lost his mind? For how incompatible did his father think of him?

The three seniors turned to the freshman who sighed, shook his head in annoyance and left the court. "Your father?" Seiichi asked, wrote something onto a piece of paper and walked up to the freshman who grabbed his things and forced them into his bag. A sheet of paper entered his sight. He looked up, saw a gentle smile with tender violet eyes. "It would be a pity if I let a good opponent get away. Text me with your cell phone when you have time for a match."

"Wait! Seiichi, what about the ru-" Called person shot both players a glare and warned them gently to shut their mouths. Atobe and Sanada were silence without another word. The youngest teen would have laughed by such a display of two big dogs barking and suddenly having their tails between their legs, whining in apologizes, nevertheless, he couldn't.

Why was the bluenette suddenly so friendly? What had changed? Ryoma didn't know, didn't understand it. He turned around and stretched out his hand for the bluenette to shake hands to bid goodbye. However, the hand never came; instead, Yukimura stared at him and his outstretched hand with confused eyes before he began to laugh with his right hand covering his lips a bit.

It was a beautiful sound, soft and gentle, perfect to relax. Ryoma closed his eyes for a minute, listened and enjoyed the simple sound of a cheerful laugh. It didn't matter that it was probably due to his movement to shake his hand. Even the diva chuckled while Sanada watched him with a frown. Well, there still was a change of heat in his cheeks, coloring them in a light pink. Yukimura was the first one who broke the laughing and took pity on him. The one which was appreciated. "Usually you bow down to greet or bid goodbye to someone. You also bow to say thank you, apologize or show respect. Yanagi told me that you actually moved from another country to Japan. It would explain your behaviour."

The bluenette tried to underline his words and bowed in front of Ryoma, showed him how to do it. The youngest teen blinked with his golden orbs, shook his head and plainly smirked, left the three stunned and speechless. He heard Monkey King call him a brat which made him smirk only wider.

His good mood was destroyed by the sight of his crying and whining father who sat in front of the large door. "Ryoma! Thank god, the smiling girl from next door was right. I was worried silly boy!" Ryoma sighed, grabbed his father's arm and led them to the old car which was parked right before the house. It was embarrassing to have such an overprotective father in situations like this.

His mind told him not to ask what his father had told the security to be able to stay and sit here in such a high secured mansion - no, sometimes it was better not to know everything. He entered the car and closed his eyes, remembered the last minutes of bliss. He had found another good player and if the bluenette was the same, the time here in Japan wouldn't be as bad as he had thought. It was getting better and better.

His father followed him suit, took place at the driver's seat and started the engine. They were on their way back home and for the first time since they had arrived in Japan, Ryoma felt good, happy and tired from having two great matches, even if he couldn't finish any of them. His old man had been worried about his disappearance, now, after seeing his son smiling, happy and tired, he was worried till the bones and scared as hell. There was only one thing which those guys could have done to his stubborn son...

"Ryoma?" the old man asked, frowned and glanced at him. "Have you found a good rival?"

Now it was Ryoma's time to frown. That was an unexpected question and how should he answer it? He simply smirked, directed his gaze out of the window and onto the crowded streets. Nanjiroh sighed mentally in relief. So his son had finally found some friends or at least people he didn't mind to see once more.

"I made miso-soup for dinner." That was all it took for Ryoma's stomach to growl in horror. He wouldn't get anything eatable tonight, he should have eaten some of the fruits on the table at Monkey King's mansion. Maybe then he wouldn't have been starving tonight. An uncomfortable silence grew between them and stayed till Nanjiroh couldn't bear to hide his curiosity any longer. "How was school? Anything funny to tell? Have you met some cute giirrllss? Have you found a sweet girlfriend? How about the one opposite our house? She is quite cute and very nice."

There he was again, his stupid old man. Ryoma shot him a glare and decided to ignore his father for the rest of the drive. Never would he tell his old man about his girlfriend if he ever had one. The guy would only embarrass him and shoo the girl away. Ryoma was already certain that there would be no girl by his side in the next ten years. Enduring the girls in his class were enough for him. Why would he chose one of them to stay by his side all the time to annoy him? He wasn't a masochist nor was he near attempting suicide.

"Maybe you have found a sweet boyf-" Another glare from him, this time much fiercer, let his old man's words die out in his throat. The drive was luckily over and Ryoma stomped out of the car and into his new home. "Oi!" Whatever his father wanted to say, it was too late for him to do it. He looked over his shoulders and saw his father taking off his shoes. A lamp switched on over his head. Now he understood.

Ryoma went up to the refrigerator, grabbed a can – Ponta was written on the label – and drowned the surprisingly delicious liquid down his thirsty throat. His father stood already behind him as he finished his drink. Nanjiroh held him at place with a hand on his shoulder and pushed him gently down onto a chair. It wasn't a good sign. The next words broke him.

"Your cousin wants to visit you. Your aunt called me and told me she has depression since you're gone."

* * *

Nanjiroh watched his son carefully, paid all his attention to every reaction which would surpass his son.

Ryoma stiffened and froze for a moment, not even blinking once or breathing.  
It had always been a sensitive topic and he knew Ryoma was still suffering from the loss, the memorie.

However, he didn't know the exact details and probably wouldn't find it out anymore as his son and Tsukiko, Ryoma's only cousin, were the only ones who knew something but would never speak about.

Ryoma couldn't speak and Tsukiko had suppressed the harsh past.


	9. The Hunting Memories

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything.**

* * *

_**~~ The Hunting Memories ~~**_

_**~~ 7. March, Early Night ~~**_

Nearly two weeks later and his son was still shaken up from the news about his cousin having depressions. Nanjiroh was not happy. He had thought his son would overcome this phase of depression and endless worry but he had been wrong. It had gotten worse with each following day. His dear son had even turned down the invitation from the cute girl that lived opposite their house who wanted to party her seventeenth birthday with her friends on the 29th February. Also the teen - Nanjiroh wasn't sure if it was a sweet girl or a very feminine boy with dark blue hair - from next door invited Ryoma to its seventeenth birthday at the 5th March.

Ryoma had simply ignored their words, shaken his head and gone back inside his room, closing the door behind him.

Nanjiroh had hoped his son would simply call his cousin and _tell_ her with knocking signs on the phone that he was still struggling with his new home and wasn't ready for a visit, yet. Instead, his son had walked into his room and listened to loud music with his eyes closed. If his son wasn't in school then he would be most likely in his own room, petting his cat and staring at the ceiling or simply sleeping. Whenever Nanjiroh tried to speak to him about his cousin or anything similar to that certain matter, his son would ignore him or go away.

It had already come to a fight between Karupin and Nanjiroh when Ryoma had been so annoyed one time by his permanent visits in his room and Karupin had stepped in for his master and attacked him. The stupid cat hindered him since then each time he tried to enter his son's room. If he did dare to enter, Nanjiroh wouldn't return without scratches and bite marks on his skin. Sometimes, Ryoma would grab his tennis bag and walk out of the house, returning in the middle of the night. Though, he wasn't sweaty like he would be normally after he had played a match or practiced against a wall.

Nanjiroh guessed that even tennis wasn't enough anymore to keep his son's tormented mind at ease. So what could he do now? Thanks to his new job as a monk, his time with his son was limited.

One good thing had happen in those ten days, nonetheless. Ryoma had made friends in a mysterious and unexplainable way for Nanjiroh. His son had never met up with anybody else than his cat but despite that he had people who talked to him like he was a close friend and invited him over to their homes.

The first ones were the brown-haired girl whose name Nanjiroh had forgotten and the cat-like guy called Kikumaru Eiji. The next ones were a funny guy called Momoshiro Takeshi, a strange hissing guy called Kaidoh or sometimes Viper by his friends, a data freak called Inui Sadaharu and a shy boy called Kawamura Takashi. Everyone was older than Ryoma but they were all in the same tennis club which would at least explain how they met his son. Also the glasses-wearing bruenette - the captain of the tennis club - Tezuka Kunimitsu had accepted Ryoma as something like a friend.

Well, they were not exactly all friends but something along the line. They picked Ryoma up and walked together to school every day. They even walked him back home. It was strange that Nanjiroh could only remember the names of the guys around his beloved son and not the names of the two hot and sweet girls. He would need to write them down the next time he met them because Nanjiroh had seen through their actions and was sure they would met each other more often in the near time.

How he knew it?

It had happened from time to time in the last couple of days that the female brunette with the blue eyes had sometimes a strange and very confidence smile on her lips, whenever she walked with Ryoma past the house of the feminine bluenette who had invited his son to the birthday party on the 5th March.

Nanjiroh had noticed the reason behind it two days ago when he had been on his way home from his job and was in a very bad mood which had been enlightened at the very moment when he had seen the two girls - the brunette with these clear blue eyes and the feminine bluenette where he wasn't sure if it was truly a female or male - in front of his house, fighting quietly with piercing eyes and smart and calm spoken insults.

He had greeted them with a nod and hurriedly entered his home, only then bursting out loud and laughing tears while he watched those two from the window of the dinning room. The two girls were fighting over his son. Ryoma was turning slowly into a pubertal teen, at least at the inside because he was still the shortest in the whole neighborhood and showed no interest in other girls.

"Good evening." Nanjiroh turned around and greeted the girl who stood in front of his home.

"Good evening. Were you visiting my son? Why don't you stay over and have dinner with us? I'm sure Ryoma would be happy."

"Er... I..." To the father's utter surprise the girl began crying and rushed into the house at the end of the street, therefore next to their house on the left side. Wasn't it the house of the old grumpy granny named Ryuzaki? What had his son done now to make the old hag's granddaughter cry?!

That was it! Ten days were long enough for Ryoma to hide and dwell in his thoughts and insult other people with his mood. Nanjiroh decided to do something about it today, even if he needed to drag his son to the street tennis courts and humiliate him in front of his schoolmates in the middle of the night!

Nanjiroh entered his home, shouted loudly "I'm back!" through the small house but didn't get any kind of answer. Ryoma would usually make some noises, like whistling or clapping his hands together, to show him he had heard him. Something was strange...

It was too late for his son to be outside. He would normally be in his room, reading or listening to music, nevertheless, he wasn't there when Nanjiroh saw across the open door and inside the empty room. Worry rose in his guts and his began to sweat. His breathe fastened and his eyes searched every angle.

He would certainly panic if he wouldn't find any kind of note from his son telling him about his whereabouts in the next few seconds His sweet son wasn't allowed to go outside alone. Who knew what scary guys could or would hurt him because of his loss.

Ryoma wasn't stupid, nor was he deaf or blind. Nanjiroh understood that his son got bullied by other students for being mute. He had seen it a lot back then in America. The father shook his head. Now was not the time to think about such things. He needed to find Ryoma and see if he has overcome his moodswings. So he walked up into the kitchen and started to search for any sign.

Nothing.

He sprinted to the bathroom and rushed inside without knocking.

Nothing.

Panic began to rose up.  
Where was his son?

He was already on his way to his own bedroom as the sound of voices caught his attention and let him freeze like a piece of ice. Voices so familiar... so close... a memory...

His eyey grew wide, his fingers started to tremble and he fisted them so they would stop. His heart hammered so loud and hard in his chest that it hurt. Voices echoed from the living room into the small corridor. A voice of a child, a sweet boy who laughed over a joke. Another voice of another boy, older than the first one but still a child or a young teen. There was also a third voice which sounded like a girl's voice.

Nanjiroh's breath hitched, hope and happiness spread all over his body. Voices, wonderful noises from a child flooded the room which he had entered without him knowing it.

Tears dared to fall from his eyes and silent sobs escaped his lips when he saw that it was only a videotape playing on the television with his mute son sleeping on the old couch.

He couldn't stop the tears from falling and the sobs to escape his lips. Nanjiroh cried in disappointment, felt his shattered hope. He sat down onto the hard floor in front of his son, pulled his knees up to his chest, hid his face in his son's hair and breathed in the fresh scent while stroking tenderly Ryoma's neck as he knew his son was a heavy sleeper and wouldn't notice him. His mind told him every day, it was hopeless to still believe, to hope, to hear his son's voice once again. Nonetheless, his heart just couldn't let go of this hope.

His son was the most precious person for him.

Just then did Nanjiroh note the tearstained cheeks of his son and worry tightened his heart. "What do I need to do so you'll be happy and speak again?"  
As if to reply, Ryoma snuggled up against his body and Nanjiroh kissed his son on the forehead before he put a warm cover over the small body. After seeing such a vulnerable sight of his son, Nanjiroh couldn't bring it over his heart to continue to force his son to call Tsukiko or drag him to the street tennis courts.

He hadn't seen Ryoma crying since the accident. Something was troubling his son and he was sure it had something to do with Tsukiko. He petted his son's hair one last time, whispered in his ear "Good night, Ryoma." and turned off the television and light.

Perhaps he shouldn't have told Ryoma about his cousin wanting to visit him.

_**~~ 8. March, Early Midday ~~**_

It was Saturday which meant no school for Ryoma. The teenager lay on his bed, restless and tired. He hadn't really slept for days, only lying in his bed and thinking about the past or better said - thinking about the _accident _and the following nightmares. That was it what everybody called it. An _accident_. It never had been an accident! I had been everything else than that. It were just him and Tsukiko who knew the truth and Ryoma hoped dearly it would stay like this forever because his parents, his aunt and uncle wouldn't believe him. The only emotion would be shock, followed by grief and endless guilt.

He had a headache from all the crying yesterday night. His father must have seen sleeping on the couch after he returned from his work because as he woke up early this morning he had a blanket over his body to keep him warm. Had his old man seen him crying as well? Ryoma hoped not. Nonetheless, it would explain why his father didn't try to convince him to call Tsukiko anymore. However, it was also embarrassing as he hadn't cried in front of anybody else since the accident.

His old man must have thought he had a major breakdown. His father left the house later than usual and not with a bright grin in his face but with a frown and the hint of nervousness in his gleaming eyes. Ryoma knew he scared and worried the crap out of his father for acting in such a way. But he couldn't help it.

He was grumpy because he couldn't sleep. He couldn't sleep because he was sad and anxious. He was sad and anxious because his beloved cousin had suddenly one of these phases and that was never good. She had the phases as Ryoma had disappeared out of her sight and that had never happened before. She couldn't see him, couldn't watch him. He feared them, the phases of depression and sadness.

_"You're like _him_... So gentle and handsome... You'll find a beautiful girlfriend when you're a grown-up, just like _him_."_

_"I don't like girls. I like to play tennis more." His parents, aunt and uncle laughed, watched him play tennis against his two cousins. It was one of their getting-together meetings. The sun shone brightly above their heads and gave them warmth. It was a nice and cloudless day._

How naive and childish he had been back then. Never had he seen the signs for it nor had he heard the silent pleads in the night. If it would have changed Tsukiko's and his future? Maybe? Tsukiko was older than him by three years and had told him once not to blame himself. She had told him once, the what-if thought lingered in everyone, he was just questioning it more often than the others. She also told him to stop blaming himself and enjoying life with no connection to the _accident_.

What kind of twisted words if he compared them with the promise he had made with her long ago. It had been too risky to deny the promise and his first thought had been about not being able to survive if he lost yet another family member. He had agreed so soon without a second thought. He had been a child, a boy, who hadn't wanted to lose another part of his family, a dear friend.

The knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts. Ryoma pushed his upper body up with his arms and leaned on his elbows to steady his position. He was ready to throw his pillow at his father who had tried to cheer him up all morning. At breakfast, his father had put a plate with a smiley on it in front of him. Ryoma had rolled with his eyes and ate the only slightly burnt food peacefully. The smiley had been combined of two grilled eggs and one piece of bacon with a tomato as a nose.

As the door opened completely it wasn't his father entering his room. Instead of his father it was his tennis captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu. "Good morning, Echizen." He bowed in greetings, stood on the door sill and waited for the teen to invite him to come inside.

Ryoma nodded as a greeting and looked at his captain with a frown. His view landed on his captain's right shoulder and down to the tennis bag which was probably filled with tennis racquets. He frowned, glanced up to Tezuka and nodded at the shouldered bag to ask Tezuka why he came to visit him. "Want to have a match?"

It surprised the younger teen even more to hear such an offer from his captain personally. Tezuka wouldn't usually offer a match. Matches with one of the regulars were only played in the ranking tournament, never outside the school tennis courts or the tournaments. And Ryoma wasn't a regular yet.

Over the past couple of days, he had learned five very important things about his admirable captain. Tezuka was a reliable and respectful person who looked at everything from different point of views before he decided. Second, he was a person who never left a friend alone, even if the friend was noisy like Kikumaru Eiji. Third, he would never step down and would always take responsibility for his mistakes. Fourth, his orders should be followed and nobody dared to discus over them or refuse them. If someone did, he would have run many laps and the more he refuse, the more laps would he get to run around the school tennis courts.

The fifth and last point, his relationship with Fuji Syusuke was more than being friends. He had seen them kissing when he had wanted to ask the tensai for a match for distraction. He had joined the tennis club not long ago and as he had watched Fuji play against Tezuka he knew immediately he had taken the right choice. Fuji was a genius, a good rival in tennis, even if his personality was quite difficult to handle. However, on that day... a glance into Fuji's room told him not to interrupt. It had been a gentle kiss, nothing else. But two guys kissing was a bit... too much for him so he had went on alone to the courts and had played against a stranger. It had felt so wrong all of a sudden... the feeling of having a racquet in his hand... the feeling of being able to focus at something else than his past and his cousin.

He had lost the match and walked home, ever playing tennis again till now. Until today.

The young teen had also noticed the harsh complex between the two tensais, the Monkey King, his captain and the vice-captain of Rikkaidai. He had gotten a headache after thinking about it too much so he let it go. The five had something going on but what did it matter to him? As long as they continued to play good tennis against him in the future when he had his better days again he was satisfied.

He shrugged, stood up and shouldered his tennis bag with less enthusiasm. Something in his mind told him not to disagree or he would be punished with running laps Monday evening after practice was over.

* * *

It was the sound of tennis balls smacking against the ground continually that pushed him out of his thoughts.

Thinking, he did it a lot lately. He hadn't registered coming here to the street tennis courts with Tezuka beside him. His captain was already unpacking his things, pulled out his racquet and took one sip on his water bottle. Ryoma watched him with sharp eyes, noticed the long scar along Tezuka's left arm as the shirt rolled up a bit as the arms was lifted so high so the water would run out of the bottle.

He furrowed his brows. Had the scar always been there? His thoughts were once again interrupted by the sound of a tennis ball hitting a wall only a few inches away from his face. He thanked his self-control for not flinching like a scared rabbit. Someone laughed evilly and loud, it was audible all over the courts and every person's attention rested on him in seconds. It was one thing which had happened the past few days and did happen every other day - he got bullied. It couldn't be any other way.

One of his daily attackers was a guy called Arai Masashi who was always followed by his handful of friends. The guy had taken every opportunity to embarrass him but had failed each time for now. Arai really was a stupid and jealous idiot. He was, sadly, in the same tennis club as him, so he had the same captain, who had forbidden him to bully the mute freshman. Just then did Ryoma notice the disappearance of said captain. Shit!

He should really stop thinking so much and pay more attention to his surroundings.

Arai stood on one of the three tennis courts, laughed and joked over him with a few teens who Ryoma hadn't seen before. Not good. He hoped they would let him go today and only laughed over him from far away. Right now, he was in no mood for this. Usually, he would provoke them with his arrogant attitude or simply ignoring them all the way. However, today was not one of those days. He was near a headache and a mental breakdown. The message about his female cousin wanting to visit him was still too fresh in his memories. And as soon as he had thought about it, the memory returned, crashed into his head and forced him to take a couple of deep breaths.

Ryoma blinked with his eyes countless times, wanted to get ride of the pictures and spoke mentally his mantra.

_It's okay. I can handle it. It's okay. Everybody is alright._

It had been hard enough to get at least some sleep at night without having nightmares whenever he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. The last words, the expression on his cousin's face - it all stumbled back into his already messy brain and triggered emotions out of him which he had hoped had been hidden in his heart forever. He hadn't had those memories in months or were it already years? He couldn't remember. All he had done since then was studying and forgetting the bad memories. Maybe he would never be able to forget as his promise remembered and forced him to feel pity and fear, every day. One message from Tsukiko was enough to shove him out of his daily routine.

"Well, well, well, look who is here without his protectors?" Arai laughed and walked up to him, ripped him out of his daze. Shit, he had been thinking again! Arai approached him quickly and pushed him on his shoulders, again and again till the freshman grabbed the hand and shoved it away with a glare. Arai smirked, happy about such a reaction and wanted to pull out another prank of his when someone shouted loudly over the whole place.

"Hey, hands off from my private tutor!" Ryoma didn't recognize the person immediately. It was when the teen in casual clothes stood right before him and covered him from Arai's and his gang's glances that it clicked in Ryoma's head. It took a couple of second for Ryoma to remember the name of the teen - Kirihara Akaya.

Ryoma blinked twice, looking around with an undefined expression and not able to handle this situation right now. He couldn't believe the idiot from detention was here and actually defending him. The mute teen lifted an eyebrow in confusion, not understanding why Kirihara defended him. He wasn't a girl who needed protection. He pouted by the bare imagine of the guys seeing him like this. A weak girl who would wail every time someone bullied her.

It helped the mute to recover as he wasn't the only one who was confused. Arai and the other guys weren't sure if they should continue and ignore Kirihara or forfeit and run away before the guys from Rikkaidai appeared to help their youngest and precious regular. There had always been some weird rumors about the blue-haired captain being overprotective about the little devil. The group of idiots decided wise and snorted before they walked away, still shouting insults and warnings.

"A bunch of weak rabbits!" Kirihara said, laughed and turned around to look at him. The teen grinned and rubbed his nose. "Ne, you're the guy from the detention with the great English skills. Can you help me with my homework? Buchou and Fuku-buchou have to attend a lot of meetings this week and Kuro-sensei will give me another week of detention if I don't handle my homework in correctly. I think he had noticed it wasn't my work back then."

Ryoma would have groaned if he could. Right, he would never forget the idiot who couldn't understand a single word in English. He rolled with his eyes, ready to go away and on the courts where his captain appeared to be and waited for him but Kirihara was stubborn, flung him around anew and began to plead. "Only this weekend. My teammates will scold me again for not understanding it! And Mura-buchou is really trying hard to teach me... I don't want to disappoint him!" The older teen was already going on his knees and bowing, begging him to help him with his homework. How annoying and embarrassing! All eyes rested on them. "I'll do anything you want!"

He sighed deeply, shaking his head in annoyance and disagreement. He had no time for helping the idiot with his problems. He was already turning on his heels as his view landed on a female teen standing at the far end of one of the courts, staring at him and moving her hands in a language which was all so familiar to him.

Sign language.

Ryoma was mildly surprised but smirked. The teen moved her hand in a greeting, told him her name was Tachibana Ann.


	10. A Stupid Misunderstanding

**A/N: Words spoken in **Sign Language** will be written in ****bold****letters!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

_**~~ A Stupid Misunderstanding ~~**_

_**~~ 8. March, Late Midday ~~**_

Ann waved and smiled at him, chuckled a bit. Nonetheless, as soon as her eyes landed on Kirihara, who was still waiting beside him and watched him, her smile left her face and the sparkling eyes filled with rage and narrowed dangerously. Her body began to shake, she frowned and glared at the little devil. Her hands moved hurriedly, so quickly and inaccurate that even Ryoma had problems reading the signs which her hands formed. **"Don't get too close to him! Kirihara doesn't have the nickname **_**Devil**_** out of nothing. He likes to destroy his opponents, not only in a tennis match!"**

...What?

The mute frowned. That truly did surprise him and he couldn't stop the confusion reaching his face. He didn't know how to react by hearing such harsh words from a stranger about another stranger. He couldn't even ask a question as Ann's hands moved once again in their fast rhythm. **"You should avoid getting in contact with students from Rikkaidai. They will do anything to win, even hurting their opponents if it is needed."**

Ann turned her head to the right and bent down to a guy who sat on the bench which Ryoma only noticed now. Ann glanced at the mute as if to tell him something important. Ryoma narrowed his eyes, watched the movements of the blond male, who stood up from the bench with wavering balance, with curiosity and Ann who help the blonde. The question on his tongue was swallowed down while his hands stopped in the middle of the beginning.

The male's face - a couple of years older than him with short blond hair - was pale, crutches steadied his right broken leg and a large plaster covered his whole left temple and only ended on the forehead above his bindi. There was also the rest of an black eye visible. He must have gotten into a horrible accident or into a very rough beating.

Ann's attention rested on the blonde completely till he could lean against the near wall and stayed steady on his own. Her eyes wandered from Ryoma to Kirihara and back to the blonde over and over again as if she tried to tell him what had happened. Her brown eyes were filled with so many emotions - rage, pity, hope, determination and sadness. But from all those emotions, guilt and the wish of being understood were the strongest to shine through. **"Don't make the same mistake. Be careful around them. Our schools have a grudge against each other. Don't get in between the fights."**

Ryoma frowned. Our schools? So she went to one of those three schools, too? It would be quite nice to have someone who would explain him some things without stomping on his nerves. The mute had noticed the rivalry between his and the other two schools. He had also heard from the fights on the school yard, even seen one. In most of his breaks - be it for lunch or for the change of rooms - he would always sleep on a tree, so nobody would bother him and could pull him into one of those fights.

Well, it had been like this in the first week. After that, Momoshiro seemed to know each of his hiding spots and would drag him out of them and pull him along to a silent place to eat lunch together with him and the jumpy redhead named Kikumaru. However, school fights weren't something new for him. He had seen it from other schools too. It had happened pretty often when he had visited and fetched Tsukiko from her school back in the States.

What did wonder him was the fact about the fighters. It were never two guys or girls from the same school, every time it were students from different schools - most likely from Rikkadai and Seigaku.

Ann spoke again with her hands. **"I'm sure we'll see each other soon, Echizen Ryoma." **Then she walked away with the blonde, left the tennis courts.

The mute could only nod before she walked out of the street tennis courts with the blonde beside her. Ryoma wasn't certain if it was right to trust her. It was hard to believe her words because the Seaweed-head, a.k.a. Kirihara, didn't look like this kind of person. He was stupid enough to mess up even the simplest English sentence and maybe he was a little aggressive too if something wasn't going his way but could he beat up another person so badly?

"Really?! Awesome!" Kirihara laughed, his face showed happiness and relief.

...What?

Ryoma's head snapped to Seaweed-head's direction, blinked in confusion. What was awesome? What had he missed?!

"Thanks so much! We should better hurry because it's a lot I have to do."

...What?!...

"You see, Kuro-sensei is really mean if it is about his English lessons. He has given me a mountain of questions which I need to answer. Well, now that you're helping me, I can relax." When had he agreed to Kirihara's plead? What had he missed?! "Well, it will be a little hard to understand you as you can't speak. Buchou told me about it and all my classmates are talking about you..."

The solution hit Ryoma hard and his mouth opened in horror at the revelation. Not every person was able to read and see sign language, and Kirihara seemed to be one of them. He had seen his nod as an agreement to his question and not to Ann's words. He groaned in his mind and wanted to slap his hand against his forehead.

Oh shit!

He had no chance to point out the mistake, the disagreement, as Kirihara grabbed his left wrist with his right hand and his tennis bag, which rested on the ground near by, with the other. Seaweed-head dragged him behind him, walked past the crowd with quick steps all the while talking nonsense to the mute. Ryoma caught one last glimpse of his frowning and shocked captain - it was unbelievable that his captain was able to show any other expression than sternness - before Tezuka disappeared out of his sight because he turned around acorner, leaving the street tennis courts behind.

"...It will be awesome to watch Kuro-sensei's face when he sees my perfect homework!" Kirihara laughed, continued to drag him along and maneuvered both of them through the large crowd, bumping into other people from time to time. Even on a Sunday the streets were crowded and families with children stormed inside the family-restaurants to grab some late lunch. "Mura-buchou will be proud of me. Ne, I heard you're pretty good at tennis. Mura-buchou would like to play a match against you. Also my fuku-buchou has spoken about you. Both are great tennis players, the best players of the three schools. Probably even the best ones from the whole area!"

Ryoma knew that already. Yukimura, Sanada and even the Monkey King had asked him for a match. Just a little friendly game between them. However, he hadn't been in the mood to play. Even if they were so great players, his mind had been occupied by his thoughts about his past, about the nightmares - about Tsukiko.  
Another person bumped into him and ripped him out of his thoughts. His right shoulder began to hurt from all the bumping into other people.

For the first time since he had gotten kidnapped, he let his view wander over the shops and other houses which crossed their way.

Somehow...

...everything...

...turned out to be quite familiar. The shop at the end of the street which they crossed, the old sign with an advertisement for bubble gum flavored toothpaste, the old and mostly empty restaurant at the beginning of the street, which they entered, and the row of houses on each side...

It was too familiar and it didn't take long for him to recognize the small old house at the near end of the street. A small house, a little bit ruined with an also small garden in the front.

It was his home...

... his home...

...Oh god, it really was his home!

Seaweed-head was also living here? Or was the idiot leading him to his home? If he did than Ryoma hoped his childish father wasn't there to embarrass him. How could he explain his old man's stupid behaviour? Maybe he should say that he was only a far, far distant relative and hadn't something in common with the old man in his house. Yeah... perhaps he should do so and beg that Seaweed-head was stupid enough and would buy this obvious lie. He was never good at lying. Somehow his face and body would exposed him each time.

To his relief or distress, Kirihara didn't stop at his house... No, the guy stopped right in front of the house next to his home. The familiar house from none other than Yukimura Seiichi. That would be the second last place where he wanted to be right now, right after his home near the telephone. Maybe Seaweed-head had just forgotten some books at the bluenette's house and wanted to get them?

His wish shattered as Kirihara pushed the bell, still holding his wrist tightly in his hand. They were studying here?

A knot build up in Ryoma's throat. This was definitely not the place where he wished to be right now. He didn't want to see or meet any familiar faces, nor did he want to _talk_ to them. He wasn't in the mood to listen and answer questions through writing on paper. That was most likely what happened each time Yukimura crossed paths with him at school, on the street tennis court or sometimes also in front of his house.

Well, it had been three time in the last ten days but the three times were enough for him.

Those thin lips, the dark shoulder-long hair, the strong and piercing violet orbs - the bare thought about it let his cheek flush bright red. He didn't know why but he felt uncomfortable - strange - whenever the bluenette was around. Yukimra always stayed too close to him. Sanada Genichirou was the complete opposite from him. Whenever he was around their surroundings had a somewhat dark and pressured aura. That was even more uncomfortable and so Ryoma tried very hard not to cross their paths consciously.

Another reason for his action was the sight and guess which Ryoma got after their last encounter. Sanada's dark brown orbs wandered and rested on Yukimura none stop and all the time. There was a lingering and hidden plead behind the dark shell but the mute let it slip as it had nothing to do with him. Though, the strange feeling got worse because there was again another thing which he preferred to stay unknown to him. It was probably for the best not to know too much as he didn't want to get too close to them. He had done his best to ignore them all, including Fuji's visits.

The brunette was even worse than the bluenette as Fuji was in the same school and also in the same tennis club. Ryoma had paired up with Momoshiro whenever they should work out with a partner. He had walked a lot of inches before or behind Fuji when they were on their way home. He also acted as if he never heard the bruenette's questions or words - simply ignoring him.

Apparently, the guy hadn't liked his presence being ignored by him so the little sadist had tried his very best to keep his attention. Fuji had even hit a tennis ball against his head with the excuse to have lost balance. The cat-like grin on his angelic face wasn't very agreeing with his words.

"Oh, Akaya." The main door opened and an older woman in her middle sixties greeted Seaweed-head with a smile. "Seiichi isn't home yet. I think-"

"I know. Buchou had offered me his room to study with my new tutor." Seaweed-head stepped aside and the older woman narrowed her eyes to focus on him, put her glasses, which hang on a thin chain around her neck, on her nose and looked at him from head to toe. Her smile appeared again and she laughed shyly. "A freshman being your tutor? My, you must be a very smart boy."

The woman stepped aside, welcomed the teenagers inside and shut the door as soon as they had stepped in. She turned to Ryoma once more, her violet orbs narrowed another time. "I don't mean to be impolite, but... you're the boy from the house next to us, aren't you?" Not understanding where this was going but having a guess, Ryoma nodded. She nodded too, more to herself than to him and then she began to stare at him, blinked with her eyes from time to time. It took her a while to remember her manners. "Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Seiichi's grandmother Yukimura Aya. It's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed down but not so low as to lose him out of sight.

Well, how should he react in such a situation? Something like this hadn't happened before. Usually, he would have gone away without even bothering to answer or to listen but the woman in front of him seemed to be nice - perhaps a little forgettable but still nice and gentle - so he decided to tell her his name in his language, of course. His hands move fluently and her eyes widen by the sight, her mouth slightly hanging open in confusion and surprise. "Oh, the rumor about you being mute is true. So you're the one Seiichi-"

"-Well... I think we should go and study before the time is over." Seaweed-head interrupted her hurriedly before she could end her sentence, pushed the mute forward and Ryoma was actually grateful for it. At least now the whole neighborhood would know the truth about him and wouldn't want to visit him or his father anymore.

Yukimura Aya could only nod, still a little too shocked to move or react differently. The two walked along a small corridor. A small table, a wooden chair and also a small wardrobe were the only furniture standing there because of the small size of the corridor. There wasn't any more room for something to add. Nonetheless, it didn't look crowded or overstuffed. It looked comfortable and had a certain style - not so Granny-like with flowers and such. No, everything was made out of dark wood and formed in a modern way. It was more the style suited for a young adult's taste. The walls were colored in a light green color, fitting to the funiture.

They entered the last door on the right side. Seaweed-head pulled his jacket off and threw it with his bag onto the bed, all the while opening the window. Ryoma scanned the room, pulled his own jacket off, nevertheless, he put it over the chair which stood close by. The room was bigger than his own with the window being opposite the door. On the right side of the window and in the right corner of the room stood a double bed, at the end of it was a large flower - a cacti? On the left side of the bed stood a little nightstand with a lamp in the form of an orb and also two books rested there on the lightly colored wooden furniture.

On the left side of the window stood the desk. It was the one where Ryoma had seen Seaweed-head studying a few days ago and practically the last ten days. Further left was a large bookshelf, filled with books, framed pictures and also a few small flowers. In the corner next to the bookshelf was a two-sized couch, colored in white like the walls. The room had a light atmosphere, the complete opposite from what Ryoma felt every time he met the bluenette.

"Alright, I'm ready." Kirihara sat on the chair at the desk, head bowed slightly over his note pad, ready to write down whatever his new tutor said. Ryoma had the strong urge to slap his forehead or even better, to slap Seaweed-head's forehead for being so dense. Had he already forgotten about him being mute? Oh man, how stupid was this guy?

Ryoma sighed, headed towards the desk while shaking his head and read the questions and tasks in the book which was spread across the desk. It were simple questions about a guy and his daily live which only needed to be answered with yes or no plus adding the reason behind it. He sighed once more. If it wouldn't be for the welcoming distraction from his scary thoughts, he would have run out long ago.

_**~~ 8. March, Early Afternoon ~~**_

The sun was already sinking and shone in the colors of red, pink and orange, showing a beautiful picture of the twilight. It was getting late. His father was probably worrying over him again, however, as long as he wasn't screaming outside for his lost son it would be alright to stay away from his home. Ryoma yawned anew for the nth time in the last couple of hours, leaned his head against the pillow on the bed and stretched his sore muscles. The scratching sounds remained as the only noises inside the room. Kirihara was still working on his homework and Ryoma had nothing else to do as to wait until he finished.

To say he was bored was an understatement. He had fallen asleep on the bed because there was only one chair in the room and his legs had started to itch from all the standing in the middle of their study-time while Kirihara did his homework. It had taken a lot of Ryoma's nerves not to rush out or jump out of the window. He was nearly at the end with his energy after all those endless explanations and misunderstandings.

Ryoma's eyes wandered over the room again. He had already taken everything under a closer look, especially the bookshelf had been interesting. Romans and Anthologies of Poems filled most of the bookshelf which had three case boards. A small glassy figure in the form of a building - a museum or something like that, Ryoma guessed - separated the Romans and the Poems on the first case board. A handful of small flowers were put randomly in there, too. It didn't surprise him as the whole bedroom was filled with all sorts of pot plants, some bigger and some smaller ones. It expressed a very tropical design and flair. So the bluenette liked flowers and plants? Was he maybe a gardener?

However, what fascinated him the most in the bookshelf were the pictures – three photos to be exact.

The first photo showed a younger version of Sanada with Yukimura beside him, both smiling with mouth and eyes, having an arm around each other's shoulders. The background showed a park and there was a little bit left of a picnic blanket under Sanada's crossed legs. The picture wouldn't have caught his interest if the ends of the photo wouldn't have been ripped off completely as if someone had done it on purpose to get ride of the people next and behind the two teens.

The person had done a miserable job though because there was still a torso and a pair of arms visible in between the two, also a hand on Yukimura's right shoulder - a third and maybe a fourth person had been on the photo once. Now their presences were shred off, left as a broken memory.

The second photo showed Sanada with Yukimura once more, both looking much younger than today just like in the first picture. The photo was a little bit more destroyed than the first one, not only at the ends but also in the middle were signs of destruction. Someone had ripped the once complete picture in two pieces, cut out the person or people in the centre of the photo and put the pieces back together. This time, the last bit of arms and hands were cut out, too. It looked strange and Ryoma asked himself why someone like Yukimura, who preferred perfection, would put something as incomplete as this in his bookshelf so openly. It was strange and didn't fit but... hey, it wasn't his matter to care for.

The last picture - safe of any harm - showed a kissing couple, an all too familiar one. The Monkey King and the bluenette, kissing deeply while smiling. The photographer of this picture was not the same person who had taken the other two pictures. The sun blinded out the entire right side, the background was blurry. The sight of two guys kissing was slowly but surely getting natural for him - so natural that it scared him.

Well, as long as they kept their hands and influence by themselves everything was alright. And as long as they played good tennis against him in the future, it would be even more alright for him.

The neighborhood was full with guys kissing each other and the parents seemed not to care or not to know about it. It was the second choice, Ryoma guessed. If he thought about it more deeply, Fuji's parents hadn't said anything when their son had kissed the Monkey King on the cheek in front of their eyes. They had ignored it and spoken to their son like nothing had happened. What would his father say or do if he did something like this?

Ryoma couldn't help but grin by the imagine of an shocked Nanjiroh, the porn-magazine falling out of the old man's hands, his eyes and mouth wide open. It was a funny picture.

"Finish!" Seaweed-head shouted and threw his body back against the backside of the chair, stretching his sore muscles. He yawned loudly, stood up from the chair and moved onto the bed, let himself fall down sluggishly beside the mute. "Your turn, Sensei." Ryoma nodded, headed over to the desk and began to correct the answers with a red pen.

Correct.

False.

False.

Correct.

False.

The sound of the main door opening reached his ears, followed by chattering people getting greet warmly by the old woman. The stairs creaked loudly by the many heavy steps and the door of the bedroom got opened before Ryoma could react. Yukimura, Sanada and Atobe entered the room, surprise and amusement were reflected in their faces.

"My grandmother told me that Akaya had brought someone with him but you were one of the last people who I had guessed to find here." He blinked, a little irritated at the snoring behind him and one quick glance told him that Akaya had fallen asleep. "Have you changed your mind about our offers?"


	11. An Unexpected Visitor

**A/N: ****Words spoken in **Sign Language** will be written in **bold letters**!**

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

_**~~ An Unexpected Visitor ~~**_

_**~~ 8. March, Early Afternoon ~~**_

His heart beat furiously in his chest, hammered hard and strong against it without any mercy. Ryoma thought it would burst out of his body any minute. He couldn't pull his eyes away from them, too surprised from their sudden appearance and too shocked to move any part of his sore muscles. The door closed again and the three teens entered room and divided. Sanada went over to his snoring kouhai, shook his head in disappointment while pressing his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose. The holy rule in their tennis club was to never be careless. At least it was what Seaweed-head had written down onto each paper.

Monkey King on the other hand was looking through the bookshelf, his eyes focused on the picture which Ryoma had taken under a closer look only a couple of hours ago. The diva smiled and picked up the photo about him and his boyfriend. A smile played on his lips, his eyes grew tender. Ryoma had never thought the diva would be able to show such a gentle expression. It was a strange sight and the mute shook his head to shove it out of his mind.

In the meantime, Yukimura had approached him, his violet eyes wandered quickly to Seaweed-head and a flicker of amusement sparkled in his beautiful face before his eyes returned to him, watched him. "So? Why are you here?" The bluenette rose an eyebrow in question, bend his head slightly to the right in hope to get any kind of answer from him.

Ryoma shook his head absentmindedly, reminded himself to stop staring and tried to calm his heart to an healthy rhythm. He should leave, get out of here as soon as possible. He wasn't in the mood to _talk_, to see those people. His focus had been at ease when he had corrected those answers. Now that he had gotten interrupted the chaos was back again and so was the headache. He wanted to get out of here, so he grabbed a sheet of unwritten paper and wrote down his answer, lifted it for the bluenette to read it. Yukimura chuckled - the sound was beautiful - and read out loud after receiving a frown from Sanada and a lifted eyebrow from his obviously boyfriend. "Seaweed-head forced me to come." He paused and chuckled anew. "I see and... with Seaweed-head you mean… Akaya?"

The mute shrugged, not being able to reply in any other way. His throat was still dry, his heart skipping a beat from time to time. What was wrong with him? Or with his body? Maybe it was because of his inexperience in handling other people? He hadn't had many chances in his past to do that. Well, he wasn't really interested in other people's life though. Ryoma swallowed, turned around once more and continued to correct the answers.

False

Right

False

False

...

...

...

Argh! His concentration was long gone. The three, especially Yukimura, were making it hard for him to focus, even on the simplest English phrase. He already read the last sentence of the last answer twice. Now he read it a third time. Nevertheless, nothing of it was sinking in his head. Ryoma read the words without understanding a single thing of it.

It was frustrating.

It was useless to continue like this. He needed to focus, damn it!  
He wouldn't be able to focus as long as they were here, so close to him. He wanted them to go away, wanted to get out of here but it was against his personality to plainly leave. It would look stupid and embarrassing. Furthermore, Ryoma always tried to keep his promises, the hidden challenges, even if they were made due to a misunderstanding. He would finish to correct those sentences and leave, quickly and without a glance backward. Yeah, that sounded like a pretty good plan. He just needed to pull himself together!

His confidence burst into thousand pieces when a rustling sound from the right startled him and made him flinch. The heat was rising in his cheeks. Since when was he so jumpy?

A blazer got laid onto the desk next to him, a tie joined the blazer soon. Yukimura bent down and a warm breath caressed his neck and left ear. It gave him a shiver which he couldn't suppress. Goose bumps spread all over his skin. What was that?

Strange.

Definitely strange!

"A mute is teaching another person English?" Yukimura was so close, too close for him to be able to think straight or give the bluenette any kind of answer. Why was he reacting like this? It hadn't happened before. Never. He had always felt comfortable with Kevin around him. Well, he hadn't had much contact to other people than Kevin. Having a private tutor all the time and only one friend... Surely everybody felt like this after being isolated for so long and meeting all of a sudden some strangers. It certainly was only the nervousness about having strangers around him. Ryoma couldn't think of an other solution for his very out of character behavior.

The bluenette leaned even closer, forced him to smell his scent. Oh, and how good Yukimura smelled...

...like... vanilla ice cream... and cinnamon...

...like a dessert... a delicious...Stop!

What the hell was he thinking?

He needed to change the topic, thinking about something else.

Why did he felt like he had already been in such a situation?  
Right, the position there were in... it was back then...

The beautiful bluenette was in the same position like the first time Ryoma had seen him from his own room, teaching Seaweed-head here on this desk. The same position, only with a different person sitting here. He was here instead of Seaweed-head and he was not being taught. The mute remembered the moment of water dripping down from this dark hair, streaming southwards along his skin...

...No, no, no, no! Bad Ryoma! Wrong things to think about!  
What the hell was wrong with him? Better to stop right there. Now wasn't the moment to think so perverted and especially not about his neighbor. Good god, he was already turning into a pervert, just like his clumsy and lousy father!

How much more could he sink down?

_No more such thoughts!_ He scolded himself, shook his head and closed his eyes for a brief second, allowed himself to clear his mind and concentrate anew.

Why was everything so complicated? He had already a headache from all the thinking... from all the memories about his friend, his family, his past life, the accident and his cousin...

...his dear cousin...

...his hurt cousin...

...his pitiful cousin...

...his scary cousin...

...his lovely cousin...

...his only cousin, who was left, was the most important person for him. He couldn't allow himself to forget her, to hide from her, even if he wanted to. Her voice, her cries, it all would haunt him in his dreams and every time he closed his eyes. Ryoma wouldn't be able to stay sane. He could never leave or push her away, even if he wasn't ready to face her, yet.

With this in mind, he breathed in and out several times, put the paper back onto the desk and wrote down another answer in Japanese, ignored the scent of something sweet and flowery. It was hard and he needed all his will to breathe in and out through the mouth and not the nose. Ryoma held the paper up again and it got pulled out of his hands quickly.

"Mute, not deaf or dense." The diva read out loud and smirked. Ryoma jolted up for the second time since the three had entered, turned his head to the left and stared straight into Monkey King's face which was barely an inch away from his. When had the diva moved here? Since when was he standing there? The mute hadn't noted it, had been too deep in his thoughts. "Oshitari and Yanagi told us about your large knowledge of languages. However, it seems you haven't learned some Japanese Kanjis yet."

Monkey King took the red pen out of his left hand, taking him by surprise, and wrote something above his words. "It's written with this Kana."

...What?

Ryoma blinked, frowned, blinked again and glared at Monkey King in disbelief and insult. Was he kidding him? Atobe smirked proudly, flipped a stray of his hair over his shoulder and meant so full of himself: "What is it, brat? Ore-sama just wanted to help you." The guy was mocking him for sure. The self-confident smirk said it all.

At least Sanada's appearance and movements didn't go unnoticed by him. The older male approached them and stopped behind him and on Yukimura's right side, lifted the corrected sheets of paper of Seaweed-head's homework. Yukimura straightened up, gave Ryoma enough space to allow him to breathe with his nose once more. Nonetheless, Yukimura's hands rested on the backside of the chair, touched his shoulders lightly. Ryoma scooped forward, avoided the confusing contact. It felt strange, gentle and he had a feeling of wanting to have more of it... definitely strange and abnormal! He started to put his supplies back into his bag as soon as he had finished to correct the last sentence.

Yukimura talked to Sanada in a hushed voice. "There are quite a lot mistakes but the result is better than after my teaching, much better." Just as Ryoma wanted to stand up and leave, the bluenette leaned down another time and blocked his way, turned his attention back to him while putting the paper back onto the desk and pointing at it. "How did you manage to make him remember all those rules of grammar? He had never remembered any of it when I had taught him."

Ryoma swallowed, feeling uncomfortable with his emotions driving rollercoaster. The scent returned. All he could do was shrug with his shoulders. His heart returned to its old harsh beating self, his feelings changing in seconds. It was driving him crazy. It was time to go, leave this place hurriedly. His body and his strange behavior were driving him nuts! What the hell was wrong with him?

"I can't believe it. Whatever you've done, you should repeat it the next time."

The words were only slowly sinking in. Next time? Oh no, he wouldn't. There wouldn't be another time. All he wanted to do was lying in his bed, curled up with Karupin in his arm. Sleeping wouldn't be so bad either. He hadn't gotten much sleep for the last few days. Nightmares had haunted him down, shook him awake in the middle of the night at several times.

He stood up, ignored the surprised gasp of Yukimura, picked up his bag and went over to the closed door, ready to burst out of the room. It would have worked so fine if Sanada wouldn't have grabbed his wrist to hold him in place. "You haven't given us any reply about our offers. Have your team mates told you something about us? Is it their fault that you don't want to play a match against any of us? It's Tezuka, isn't it?"

He groaned in his mind, glared into dark brown eyes which pierced back unconsciously. Couldn't they leave him alone? He had no nerve to discuss anything at the moment! Ann's voice echoed in his head, too. Reminded him of the troubling and mysterious rumor about Yukimura and his team mates being rude and brutal to anyone who challenged them.

Ryoma narrowed his eyes even more, intensified his piercing glare. He wouldn't show them any weakness. Instead, he answered in sign language. **"Not today." **

Sanada was confused, frowned and searched for help by his best friend who had no idea either. Ryoma smirked by the sight of their clueless faces, used the chance of confusion to slip past Sanada and through the door. Right when he wanted to close the door, somebody laughed and spoke. "Then, when will it be?"

Huh?

Ryoma blinked, frowned, glanced over his shoulder with narrowed eyes, searched for the one who had surprisingly understood him. His view paused by the smirking diva. "Ah, are you awed by Ore-sama's great presence?" Atobe stood beside the other two, his right hand rested on his right hip, the other stroke some loosen strand of hair out of his face and played with it. "You're not the only one who can _speak_ sign language, brat. Ore-sama can do it, too."

The mute snorted and spoke before he disappeared through the door, closed it behind himself. **"Whatever."**

* * *

Seiichi turned around, glanced at his boyfriend with frowning eyes. "Kei, since when are you able to understand sign language?"

"Well, Ore-sama still has his little secrets." Keigo flipped his short hair back, laughed. Something about those words scared the bluenette. He knew his boyfriend had secrets, more than one. Hidden emotions and actions going on behind his back and Seiichi was everything else than pleased by it. He had tried to find out but never managed to reveal a single secret. His boyfriend knew him too well and knew how to hide things from him.

"He has just learned it. I saw him studying in the library the last couple of days."

"You visit Rikkaidai's library to study sign language?"

"Actually, I was in the library in Hyotei." Seiichi blinked at his lover, then turned his head to his best friend, narrowed his violet eyes.

"What's the meaning of this, Genichirou? Why were you at Hyotei?"

"Nothing." His best friend stared at him with his dark brown eyes, they were now nearly black, had darkened. It was one thing which fascinated the bluenette immensely about his dear friend. Sanada was most liked as emotional as a stone from the outside, nevertheless, Seiichi was able to look through it, saw the inner turmoil through the different colors in his friend's eyes.

He would let the answer slip for now, but he would demand the truth one way or another. His eyes wandered back to his boyfriend. "Why have you bothered to study sign language out of the blue? You have never been interested in it before."

"I can't let a good challenge slid aside." Keigo turned on his heels, watched outside the window. "I have seen him play before only once. It was a match between him and Momoshiro Takeshi from Seigaku. He was good, really good, and he hadn't even played seriously. You should have seen him." The voice grew quieter with each word, awe poured out of every single words. Still, there needed to be more. Kei wasn't so easy to impress, not even by a very good tennis player.

"That's not everything on your mind, right?"

"No." The diva paused, remained by the window. Seiichi faced his boyfriend, stood beside him and watched him from the left, waited for the rest of the reply. "Don't you think it's funny. Such a good player but only one article and nothing else about him. Oshitari, Yanagi, even Ore-sama himself hasn't found anything about him. No school registration, no article about his private life or something else. Nothing. As if he doesn't even exist. There was only one single article which had written about him and that was only because he had beaten some senior in a tennis tournament in the States. But beside that... nothing, none."

Keigo leaned against his shoulder, laid an arm around his waist - a gesture to find steadiness. "By simply being mute... it shouldn't stop him from playing tennis officially." The couple kissed. The door of the room opened and shut down with a loud bang. Sanada went outside.

* * *

A little earlier.

Ryoma was starving. Had his father managed to cook something eatable? He hoped so; his stomach wouldn't take another wave of nausea well.

"Oh, leaving already?" The old woman watched him with kind eyes, smiled at him. "Won't you stay for dinner? I've made Seiichi's favorite food - grilled fish with vegetable and rice." He shook his head in a friendly way, declined her offer. All he wanted was to get out of here as soon as possible. This place made something with him, changed and turned him into another person... He needed to get out... Changes were never good.

Ryoma reached out his hand for her to grab and shake it. However, she only stared at it for a second as if she didn't know what to do with it. Right... what had Yukimura told him once: Bowing to say hello and goodbye instead of shaking hands. So the mute bowed down slightly and left.

The first deep breath was cold but loosened the knot in his throat and calmed his hammering heart. Sometimes, the temperature turned below °C over night, just like tonight. The mute shivered from the sudden coldness around him and wanted to pull his jacket up, only to notice it not on his body. Ryoma groaned mentally, wanted to slap himself on his forehead.

He had been in such a hurry to escape those three that he had totally forgotten his blazer on the bluenette's chair. He was such an idiot!  
Ryoma stopped in his movement, standing in front of his house. Should he go back and fetch it?

... No, better not. He would get it tomorrow when the bluenette wasn't home, hopefully. His hand rested already on the doorknob as a voice from behind let him pause.

"Hey!" It was a very familiar voice though he had never heard it being in such a rage that it gave him a chill. He was already inside his house with his left food standing on the door sill. One more step and he could shove the door right in his followers face.

Shit!

Too late.

Icy blue eyes opened and glared at him, then to Yukimura's house and back to him. "What were you doing there? Kunimitsu is searching for you since hours!" Fuji grabbed his right upper arm, pulled him away from his home and to the opposite house – Fuji's home. All hairs stood straight in his neck. No, he didn't want to go there either! "You should stay away from Yukimura and his followers. They like to destroy the people around them."

Wait! Where had he heard those words once before? He was sure someone had told him something similar to this not so long ago. A face of a cute girl entered his mind. The girl who spoke sign language. Ann. Wasn't that her name?

Yeah! Ann had told him the exact same thing.

Fuji wanted to shove him inside the warm house but something was blocking the way and jumped at the mute. "Ochibi!" Something heavy tackled him and he stumbled backward, bumped into Fuji unconsciously. There was simply one person he could think of who would react like this. Kikumaru Eiji. Even though he had barely made any contact with his classmates or even his team mates, hardly ever communicated with them, they were strangely coming back to him every freaking time. Ryoma wasn't sure how to feel or react about it, nor did he know how to handle such a situation.

"We were searching for you the whole day! Where have you been?"

Fuji sounded as if he was scolding him and it pissed him off. He narrowed his eyes, wanted to glare when the words sunk in. They? Had his captain called the others? The brunette must have read his mind. "Tezuka told us that Kirihara had taken and dragged you away from the street tennis courts. To see you here, coming out of Yukimura's house from all houses you could have gone in." Two pairs of eyes watched him carefully. "What were you doing up there all along?"

He shrugged with his shoulders. Why was everyone saying the bluenette and his friends were a gang who had fun to hurt other people? Yukimura seemed to be nice and looked like a girl. Even his voice was too smooth and high for a normal guy.

Voice….

Ryoma liked the bluenette's voice. It was soothing to listen to it. How he would sound if he sung? No... bad thought! Very bad...

"Echizen!" The door of the house now opposite of them opened and out rushed Sanada with a black jacket in his left hand. "You have forgotten your jacket. It must have slipped under the bed."

Well…. The disbelieving expressions on his team mates' faces were great and hilarious. Though, he didn't understand what they thought or why the redhead's face turned bright red with the mouth open and closing quite a few times. "Ochibi!" Fuji, too, seemed to be at a loss of words.

At first, Sanada was stunned as well by the shriek but he got the control over his face soon enough, showing his calm and stoic self. There was a certain sparkle in Sanada's eyes which Ryoma did not like to see. He couldn't react because the movement came too fast. A hand petted his hair and wandered southwards along his cheek, resting there for a split second. "Think about my offer, okay? See you tomorrow in school."

The redhead sent another shriek out of his throat and turned as red as a cherry. His skin had now the same color as his hair.

Sanada bowed, turned around and left them behind. Just when Fuji wanted to say something, a soft voice interrupted him and froze every cell in Ryoma's body. "Ryoma?"


	12. The Love Of A Family

**A/N: Words spoken in **Sign Language** will be written in **bold letters**!**

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

_**~~ The Love Of A Family ~~**_

_**~~ 8. March, Late Afternoon ~~**_

"My boy, do you know how late it is?! Your father is worried sick and so am I! You didn't leave a note, neither did you tell your father where you have been the last couple of hours!" Ryoma turned around by the scolding tone in his mother's voice. His mother was just like usual dressed in a white blouse with a peach-colored skirt which ended shortly under her knees. Her dark brown hair was open and waved over her shoulders. She looked completely the same like the last time he had seen her. "I hope you have an explanation for your misbehaviour! Only a few days with your father alone in a new country and gone are your manners! Do you know how worried I was, Ryoma?"

Said teen flinched and glanced at his mother with apologizing eyes. The fine color of pink spread over his cheeks. Did his mother need to greet him in such a way in front of his friends? How embarrassing!

How long has it been that he had heard or seen her? Too long, his stomach proved it. Hopefully, she would stay longer and cook him something eatable. His eyes felt all of a sudden tight and burnt as tears dared to well up and stream out of his golden orbs. No, he wouldn't allow that, not in front of those people and especially not in front of Fuji! Who knew what the sadistic tensai would do with such information?!

Probably blackmailing him like he had done it a few times by his team mates. Poor Kaidoh, poor Momoshiro and... no, Horio deserved it! The guy had at least shut his mouth for an hour after being blackmailed. For what exactly the three had been blackmailed was unclear for him, however, he had no doubt it had something to do with the certain evil gleam in Fuji's eyes. It had appeared a few days ago in those blue orbs when he had declined one of Fuji's offers to play a match or simply hang out together - being friends as the brunette had called it.

"Oh, you must be my son's friends. Thanks for taking such a good care of him." Ryoma snorted which went unnoticed by his mother but not by the others. His mother's voice softened as she moved forward, stopped on his right side and bowed to his team mates in a polite greeting. "I hope he doesn't give you too much trouble. He can be such a stubborn child sometimes. He is usually a very kind person." Her hand rested on his shoulders, kept him place.

Oh, please. Dear god, no...

All Ryoma wanted was to get inside his house and shut himself in his room, calming his crazy and hazy mind. The confrontation with Yukimura, Sanada and Monkey King had been enough for the rest of the week. He didn't need a friendly mother who tried to find out how he behaved in the time where she hadn't been there to watch him. Both of his parents were so overprotective and embarrassing, Ryoma couldn't say which one of them was the worst...

It was sometimes nice to know that his family was worried about him but it was also annoying the crap out of him whenever his parents acted like Rinko did right now. He was old enough to take care of himself - he had survive nearly three week alone in a foreign country with a tensai sitting on his neck and a strange but beautiful neighbor who gave him a racing heart. If that wasn't proof enough for his independency, then what should he do to prove it?

He was nearly sixteen and other teens in his age were allowed to go outside till 10pm. His parents went crazy when he dared to come home after 8pm. And if he dared to come home ten minutes too late... Oh dear, he could remember the fiasco a few days ago when his old man had picked him up at Monkey King's mansion...

An icy shiver crept up his spine by the bare memory. That had been embarrassing!

His lovely mother was sometimes like this too, like every other mother. Well, she was usually somehow different from other mothers. Echizen Rinko was a very elegant woman but she was also a workaholic and so had only limited time for him. And there was the problem: Being apart from her son for so long was driving her a little bit nuts and all her worries gathered up till she met him again and exploded from it. Just like now.

"No, he is a big help in our tennis team. I'm sure he will be a regular as soon as the next ranking tournament takes place." The mute jolted up, startled by the sound of Tezuka's voice appearing so suddenly from out of nowhere. Where had he come from? "My name is Tezuka Kunimitsu. I'm the captain of the tennis club which Ryoma joined and also a friend of his."

Ryoma blinked, stared at his captain in confusion. Was it out of politeness or the truth? The part about beings friends was new to him. Since when were they friends? He didn't know Tezuka or his other team mates so well. He was always standing offside, never chatted or talked in any way with them, not more than needed. Or he would act as if he listened but didn't really do so.

"That's good to hear. You must know, my dear son had never gone to a normal public school. We had him being taught by a private tutor until recently. I was afraid he wouldn't fit in, not only because of his loss of voice but also because we forgot to enlighten him about the manners and rules here in Japan. But I'm happy that he has made friends so quickly." His mother looked at him, smiling her bright smile. She was happy for him and for herself as many of her worries hadn't come true. "Why don't you come inside and I'll cook something delicious while you tell me about yourself and my son?"

WHAT?

NO!?

Was she kidding him? She couldn't just...

"We would be happy to do so. Thanks for the invitation." The gleam in Fuji's eyes reinforced. Ryoma saw it before the blue orbs closed anew and the face turned into the angelic-facade which the brunette wore all the time. A chill rushed over his whole body, shook him violently. "Echizen hasn't told us much about himself. We would be happy to know more about him. Sadly, I can't understand Sign Language but there was always something to write down near by which he could have grabbed. Nevertheless, he didn't answer any of my questions so far. It's such a pity."

There it was again! The fake smile of gentleness and politeness. Fuji was twisting his mother around his slender little finger! "Yes, that sounds pretty much like my son. I'm sure he didn't mean to be mean. He is still a little unsocial and young. Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Echizen Rinko." And she went straight into the tensai's trap! Didn't she notice the evil gleam in those blue orbs?

"Yay! Going to Ochibis house! I have never been inside Ochibi's house before, nya!" Oh right, the redhead was still there, standing with them.

"Saa, Eiji, haven't you forgotten something important?" Fuji viewed - it could nearly go through as glaring - at his best friend, his smile was so angel-like it was everything else than true. It was more of a threat than a kind remembrance.

"Huh?!"

"..." The view turned now into a glare, piercing and warning at the same time.

"Ah, Fujiko, you're right! I promised Oishi to call and visit him after we have found Ochibi. He surely is waiting for me at home and worrying!" Was there a sweat drop running down the redhead's temple? "So, bye bye. See you tomorrow on the camping trip, Ochibi! It was nice to meet you Ochibi's mother."

Camping... trip... With whom?... When... Huh?!

"The pleasure is all mine." Rinko bowed and bid goodbye to the running (away) teen. "So, shall we? Your father is probably stomping around in the house, worrying over you." His mother smiled and went ahead into the house, waving the three teens inside before she disappeared out of sight.

"Saa, let's go, Echizen. We don't want your parents keep worrying, do we?" Fuji grabbed his wrist and dragged him forward straight into his house. He had no chance to resist, the grip was too strong. And so was the grip on his shoulder from Tezuka who pushed him forward and helped his friend to walk him into the house. They reached the door sooner than Ryoma could think of a good excuse for them to not come inside with him. Having dinner, such fine dinner... it would be ruined for him to enjoy it if the tensai was sitting on the very table with him, watching his every move and asking his mother the question which he hadn't replied to.

"Ryoma!" His father was immediately by his side, scanning him from head to toe. His expression changed from being worried, to frightened, to relief and stopped by being angry. "Brat! Don't scare your old man like this ever again! Your wild cat is scratching the hell out of me because you didn't come home right in time!"

Ryoma understood the meaning behind those funny words - not only his father but also his cat had he made worried badly and he felt sorry for it. Playing with someone's feelings wasn't something he did or enjoyed. He had suffered from it himself, so why should he cause other people the same pain he needed to endure? That was only cruel.

His father hugged him tight before letting go and noticing the two guest behind them. The old pervert grinned and nodded in Fuji's direction, having dirty thought once more. "Be nice, Ryoma. A girl is as delicate as a flower."

"Nanjiroh!" Said man flinched and returned to the kitchen where a great smell streamed out. His mother's cooking, so delicious and good. Ryoma ignored his father's perverted comments and grinned, today would be no-stomach-ache day. How would his father react if he knew Fuji wasn't a girl but a guy?

"How about we go into your room and you explain us what you have been doing in Yukimura's room all the time while we searched for you?" He got pushed forward again with Tezuka leading the way and opening the door to his room, entering first. The door was shut as soon as the three of them were inside. "So, tel-"

"-Hush, Syusuke." Fuji and also Ryoma viewed at the other brunette who held his index finger over his closed lips. The other hand pointed at Ryoma's bed where his cat was sleeping. And not only his cat...

There on the bed rested a beauty with long black hair which fell all over the pillow, spread out like the sun or a sparkling star. Her lips were full and pale, so was her skin. Her eyelashes were long too, though, not as long as Ryoma's. She clung to something which looked like Ryoma's pillow while Karupin purred under her arms as she lied in an embryo-like position with her hands resting in front of her chest. She was stunning but in a way quite ordinary.

Ryoma could feel the tremble, the horror and the delight flush over him in strong waves of coldness and heat. She was here...

She had come here to him...

Tsukiko rested there in his bed, sleeping so tightly like she used to whenever he was around. He understood her behaviour, her way of thinking and feeling. Sometimes he wished he didn't, so it wouldn't cause him such a turmoil with himself. How should he react? Run away? Stay calm and wake her up? Let her sleep and come back later when she was awake? Hide?

His body shook violently and his face was probably showing too many emotions at once so his team mates didn't know what he was feeling and how to react. It would explain why nobody of those two said anything, asked anything but simply stared between him and the sleeping Tsukiko, his precious and beloved cousin.

Ryoma didn't know either how to react, what to do. Why hadn't his father or mother told him? Why hadn't they warned him, told him she was here, waiting for him?

"Meow...meow meow..." Karupin woke up, sensing his master and stretched his body before he walked up to him, purring confidently and allowing Ryoma to pet him.

Ryoma jolted up and out of his stare, glancing down to find his cat pacing through his legs and begging for attention. He wanted to but couldn't, his heart was beating so fast, hammering so loud and painfully in his chest, he couldn't move his hands, nor his legs. His smooth breathing turned into deep, short and sluggish breathes. It hurt to breathe.

"Echizen?" Whose voice was it? He had no idea and it didn't matter to him. Everything around him was unimportant. Nonetheless, the voice shook his legs awake, gave him strength to move to the bed and pause right in front of it. He ran his hand gently along her hair, caressed it softly. It felt like silk, so light and smooth.

Tsukiko.

He repeated the movement but got no reaction. His cousin had always a deep sleep, even deeper than his own. Nearly nothing could wake her up, only two methods were able to wake her up. One would be to shove a bucket filled with cold water over the head, the other...

Ryoma knelt with one knee on the bed, hovered sideway over her with his face facing her face from the right side. He lowered his upper torso, stopped only mere inches above her face and kissed her right cheek gently, rubbing his nose against her temple. He hushed without a sound her name.

Her eyes jumped open immediately, her face turned in his direction and her eyes were filled with dread and grief. She had had a nightmare just now, Ryoma could tell by her pale face, the tear tracks on her cheeks and the teary eyes. "Ryoma? Ryoma! Ryoma! You're here with me!"

Her voice was high, excitement and joy poured out of every spoken word. "I was so lonely, you never replied to any of my letters, emails and calls. Why haven't you answered? Have you forgotten me?! How can you forget me. I'm your sister! Ryoma!? I'm your family! You can't leave me alone! Don't leave, please!"

Sister?

So she was _there_ once more. She wasn't completely awake yet.

Tsukiko cried, sat up abruptly and jumped in his arms. Ryoma was not only startled by the sudden tight embrace, but also by the kiss all over his face, one was even placed on his lips. He hated it... always... every time it happened but he couldn't stop her... he was all she had... and she was all he had...

The little rest of the once so big and beautiful family which they once had been. He could bear these kisses if it meant to stay by her side and keep her away at the same time. He was torn up between those two sides, never had he thought about deciding for only one side. It would kill one of them and neither of them wanted to have blood stained hands.

He stood up with her in his arms, caressed her hair carefully and formed the magic words with his lips, not speaking but moving his lips as if he would. He closed his eyes, counted mentally down from ten to zero and waited for his cousin to wake up entirely from her slumber. Her breath evened and her hands didn't clung to him so desperately anymore. She moved a bit, gave him enough room to take a few steps backwards and lean sideway against the open window.

"I'm sorry, Ryoma. I had a nightmare again." She was a handful of inches taller than him, her body filled with female curves. Her face flushed when she noted the two young men standing in the middle of the room, gazing at them. She straightened her hair and sunflower-covered summer dress and whispered to him: "W-Who are these people, Ryoma?"

"**I joined the tennis club not long ago and they are my upperclassmen and team mates. Be careful of the smaller brunette. He is strange."**

"He is quite beautiful for a male. Just like you." Ryoma glared at her for the last comment, glanced quickly to Fuji to see if he had understood anything of their conversation. Thankfully, he hadn't. "Mhm... It smells great! Aunt Rinko is showing her great cooking skills!" She chuckled with her hand covering her lips. "I'll help. A young woman needs to be able to cook for her husband." Her glance wandered up to Tezuka, lingered there for a moment. Said brunette lifted only an eyebrow and angled his head an inch to the left, questioning her words and the meaning behind it.

Fuji on the other hand understood her last statement and smirked with open eyes. His blue orbs met Tsukiko's green ones as they stared at one another. Fuji's smirk widen even more when he saw the change of expression and attitude as he leaned against Tezuka, interlocked their fingers with each other and kissed his boyfriend on his lips. It surprised Ryoma that Tezuka was actually reacting to the kiss, not pushing the other guy away in surprise or shock. No, his captain reacted not in the slightest like the mute had guessed or could have imagined. Tezuka deepened the kiss, pushed his tongue past his boyfriend's lips and inside his mouth, receiving a light moan from it.

It was the perfect picture of two lovers making out. Tsukiko's eyes widen and Ryoma couldn't tell from what emotions exactly as he, himself, had trouble looking away and not gaping at them too intensely. He had seen those two so many times together, holding hands and kissing but it had never been right in front of him, except the one time where Fuji had kissed the Monkey King...

Wait... Fuji had kissed... two guys...

So the brunette was two timing?

Or was it just a greeting between Monkey King and the tensai?

Argh...It didn't matter! As long as they continued to play good tennis.

The lovers separated, passion was clearly visible in their hazy orbs. "I'll help aunt Rinko with the cooking." Tsukiko sprinted out with a beet-red face. She covered her eyes with her right hand, not daring to look those two gay teens in the eyes out of embarrassment. She had just flirted with one of them, damn it!

"Well, at least I made clear what is mine." Fuji grinned, closed his piercing eyes anew and laughed. "That was your sister? She was... nice."

Ryoma understood the pause between the brunette's words. He had no clue either how to describe his cousin. **"No, she is my cousin." **His team mates looked at each other in question, neither understood him. The mute sighed, viewed outside the open window and froze for the second time today.

Oh, no...

Since when...

Please, no...

His heart was skipping a beat. He would get a heart attack if all those situations wouldn't stop appearing. He couldn't believe it!

There at the other side of the window stood Yukimura, Sanada and Monkey King, obviously eavesdropping. And their expressions told him that they had understood more than they should have for Ryoma's liking.

Questions... he could see them written all over their faces. Yukimura frowned and so did Sanada. Merely Money King had narrowed eyes, weighed the situation. Ryoma hated people who butt into his business. If they dared to ask, to demand answer to their questions he would...

He would so...

Well, what exactly would he do?

Never had anyone bothered before to ask questions about him and his cousin. No one beside his family.

Ryoma wanted to ignore them, nonetheless, he had no chance to do so because Fuji and Tezuka had approached him, seen their eavesdroppers and the glaring contest between the two tensais began. To Ryoama's surprise it was now Tezuka and Sanada too, though, their contest was more of an I-am-so-much-less-emotional-and-like-a-stone-like-you contest.

_Round 2, fight!_

He shrugged, shook his head in annoyance and left the room, not wanting to get another headache and trying to calm his poor heart. Today was one hell of a day and it was still going as the dinner with his two team mates would be a disaster. Ryoma had no doubt.


	13. Discussion With Heart

**A/N: ****Words spoken in **Sign Language** will be written in **bold letters**!**

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

_**~~ Discussion With Heart ~~**_

_**~~ 8. March, Late Afternoon ~~**_

Ryoma's stomach growled loudly as he entered the small and crowded dinning room where the wonderful smell of finished and definitely eatable dinner lingered and sat down on his chair, opposite from Tsukiko. His mother sat next to her at the end of the table, so she had everyone in her view. Strangely enough, there were suddenly not only two but six available chairs around a new and larger table.

That was probably his mother's doing, organizing something like this. She must have done it while she had searched for him, otherwise there would have been no time for such a thing. His cousin talked to his mother in a quiet voice and both stopped laughing when they noticed his presence. Tsukiko's eyes went immediately downwards onto her hands, which rested in her lap, and a shade of pink, a small blush, crept up her cheeks. So she was still embarrassed from what she had witnessed.

Well, Ryoma would have reacted the same if it had been his first time seeing those two kissing. The memory was still too fresh as that he could have forgotten the picture from his first time seeing them kissing or seeing Fuji kissing Monkey King or seeing his captain kissing Monkey King after their tennis practice was over behind their club house. Actually, if he thought about it more clearly, there were far too many guys around him who kissed another guy.

Oh god, better not think more about it than he was already doing. Who knew where it would lead him to?

"Ryoma, honey, sit down and tell me about your new life. I'm happy to see that you have found already friends and you also joined a club. How is your school? Are you getting used to everything? Do you want to come home with me?" His mother bombarded him with questions, he didn't know which of them he should answer first. Well, the last one let him raise his right eye brow.

"**Mom, what's going on?"**

"Well, you know, honey, while you have been out, I have taken a look around here and I think your father hasn't done a very good job he-"

"AHEM!" Ryoma blinked, looked at his father who had already started to eat, though, the so called guests weren't even sitting at the table yet, and he was eating like a pig which wasn't anything new for Ryoma but not very appropriated when other people were in their house. His mother noticed it too and paused for a second before continuing to speak after shoting her ex-husband a glare.

"-here but it's much better from what I had feared to see. I-" Just then did his two "friends" appear from his room, probably having stopped their little contest with his neighbour. He would have asked who had won but stopped the thought as soon as it had appeared. Neither Fuji nor his captain would understand him and it would confuse his already worried mother only more. They sat down and Tezuka was the first one to speak.

"We're sorry for our belayed arrival. It's inexcusable after you made the effort to cook such a delicious meal for us. We apologize." They bowed deeply.

_Snap. _

Ryoma could hear the sound of his mother's opinion snap back to seeing the perfect impression of a nice, gentle and polite son. He saw her eyes gleaming in delight. Wonderful! Now he would hear his mother's scolding about him being not like his captain whenever he did something with not so good manners. "Oh no, don't worry. We haven't started to eat yet, so you're not too late." She simply ignored the munching sounds caused by her ex-husband.

"That's good to hear. We want to thank you again for inviting us. We hadn't had the chance to talk to Ryoma in the last couple of days." Fuji's sharp eyes rested on him, silently scolding him for his unanswered questiones and the declined offers and invitations. The mute didn't even need to look up to see or feel it, so he calmly sat there and began to eat the fantastic meal.

The first bite was absolutely fantastic and it felt like he had never eaten anything better. Oh god, how he had missed the taste and the feeling of having finally something eatable on his tongue and between his teeth. It was so delicious, he had nearly forgotten the people around him and also his mother's little speech which started anew where she had left off. "However, I'm thinking... you see, you have gotten a lot thinner from the last time I saw you, honey, and I'm very worried about you. We both know that your father's cooking is anything else than eatable and as I see it, you're in no position to hire someone who could help out with doing the laundry and cleaning this house or cooking meals."

His mother tried to smile friendly but it ended up in a grimace. Ryoma knew she tried her best to convince him because she was already worried sick. Yeah, he had lost weight due to his father's horrible and none existing cooking skills but it didn't mean that he would starve to death. There was still the convenience store at the end of the street and also the school cafeteria. If all strings would break, he could always ask these crazy and freaking loud girls in his class to share their meals with him. They were already asking him every day anyway, so why not making use of it, instead of throwing the food away.

No, there was no need to think about him starving to death. He was far from it.

If his mother had asked him a couple of weeks ago, he wouldn't have hesitated a second but now, after seeing his cousin's clinginess and his mother's over protectiveness... No, he was fine, finally doing something by himself, even if it had been hard at the beginning and some of his teachers and classmates were more than simply strange... he was doing quite a good job. All he would like to see now was his dear friend who was still in the States.

Before he could reply his mother, she continued. "I know you only arrived here a couple of weeks ago and you have probably just managed to get used to everything. You have even found such nice friends but Ryoma, honey, I'm truly frightened about your manners and your health."

"AHEM!" His father, again.

"Stop making those noises, Nanjiroh! It's unfriendly to do so in front of Ryoma's new friends." Said friends had followed his example and started to eat like everyone else had, except his mother. She was still ranting on.

"You're the one who tells lies and that is a bad manner!" His father mumbled through the munched food in his mouth and Ryoma could see the annoyance and the slowly but steadily rising anger in his mother's eyes. He believed to see a vein pulsing on her right tempel.

"You know it's the truth, Nanjiroh. Your cooking is horrible, you can't do any laundry or cleaning without my help and your manners are not the very best, not to mention yo-"

"Saa, so why doesn't Ryoma come over to my place and eats my mother's and sister's cooking? It's just opposite your house, the food is very good and he would also learn the necessary table manners."

NO!

OH DEAR GOD...

Was the guy serious?

Where the hell did that idea come from?

He couldn't really mean...

Fuji was kidding him, right?!

He could already imagine the torture and embarrassing moment whenever he would eat with the tensai.

The chair scraped loudly over the floor as his mother jumped up and clapped her hands together once. She made a squeaking noise from her uncontrolled excitement and Ryoma could have banged his head against the table from frustration. He was damned, he knew the second his mother bowed and the next words left her full and feminine lips. "Thank you so much. That would be wonderful. I don't know how to thank you for this offer."

"**Mom!"**

She bowed again, deeper this time, though. "Thank you so much, Fuji-san."

Ryoma snapped his fingers, trying to get his mother's attention. It was all in vain, useless. His mother was so full of excitement, she didn't even notice him or casted a glance at him. Tezuka on the other side looked kinda surprised in his own way. His glances went from Fuji to Rinko back to his boyfriend and rested then on Ryoma.

"It's all my pleasure. It's a good chance to get to know him better and it would also be easier for Kunimitsu to tell him news about the tennis club. He is still new but we're pretty sure he will become a regular as soon as the next ranking tournament takes place in our school."

"**MOM!"**

"I'm really happy to hear about my son making friends. He can be so stubborn and anti-social sometimes."

"That's what we thought too, so we actually went ahead and organized a pyjama party at my house. Well, it's actually only us three plus a few more friends of mine. Having a big group might have scared him off, ne, Ryoma?" Piercing blue eyes gazed at him with a silent but unmistakeable challenge. Oh, he was so not falling into this easy-to-see trap. Ryoma didn't want the brunette to think about him as pussy but he wasn't so stupid and blinded by pride that he would agree to such a stupid...

"He can't go!" The room went silent in an instant, no other sound than the noise of chop sticks falling onto the table filled the silence. Ryoma noted only then that it were his chop sticks which had fallen out of his light grip. Tsukiko had actually spoken up with her usually soft and quiet voice, surprising and pushing him out of his deep thoughts. Her cheeks reddened as she noticed that all eyes were on her and Ryoma found it quite cute as he knew his cousin didn't like standing in the center of attention. Her hands were intertwined with each other, held tightly in place as they rested on her lap. Her eyes were focused on the table in front of her. "Aunt Rinko and I will fly back to America tomorrow evening. I wanted to see you so much, Ryoma. I missed you."

Ryoma's eyes softened, knowing Tsukiko didn't mean her words the way it must have sounded for Fuji and Tezuka but also for his parents. He was her safety net, her anchor in the frightening world she believed to see. He had once dared to let go of her, to break free from her grasp. The result had been fatal and unforgivable. Never would he want to risk such a situation again.

The raw thought about the dark memory gave him the chills. Never again. He had promised it to his family and to Tsukiko directly. He couldn't disappear or leave her alone for too long. She was too fragile, too sweet and innocent to understand his wish for freedom. She was still his little cousin and he was her best friend.

"Tsukiko! You promised me to not cling to Ryoma! He needs to make friends and a pyjama party would be a perfect occasion to make a lot of friends, especially if they belong to the tennis club he has just joined in, too."

"But Aunt Rinko! I-"

"Tsukiko, you promised not to be so selfish! I understand that you want to talk to Ryoma but you need to understand that Ryoma's life is now here and he needs to make friends! At a pyjama party he can talk about boyish stuff like tennis and girls and... well, such things you know." And with that Tsukiko stood up with a pouting lip and rushed out from the dinning room, sprinted into his room. "Tsukiko!" His mother's shout didn't reach her as she slammed the door shut like an angry child would do.

"This girl. She gets more and more selfish and absurdly with each visit. Do you mind going to-"

"**I'll take a look."** Ryoma said and stood up, bowed out of reflex before walking slowly after his cousin who was probably now insulted by his mother's rejection. Tsukiko wasn't used to putting back her wants and needs for another person's wish or desire. She had always been bad at it while Ryoma had lived with doing so at the beginning, after the _accident_.

He knocked at his own door, finding himself shaking his head in confusion and frowning over his own joke. When nobody answered, he opened the door and walked in, seeing his cousin spread over his bed, face pressed into his pillow.

"I don't want to talk about it!" She yelled as he sat down at the edge of the bed, feeling his insides turning into a knot like they always did when they were alone. He felt the uneasiness surrounding him. Nothing had changed in the last couple of years. He was still the same boy with the same doubts and sins whom he had been after he was left alone with Tsukiko. Would he be able to ever change it?

The moment he rested his hand on her left shoulder, the second Tsukiko turned around and hugged him tightly. "Don't leave me! You can't leave me. Ryoma!" Her hands were clutched strongly against his neck, her face rested on his shoulder and she pulled him all the more closer to her. He stroked gently her back with trembling fingers.

Tears soaked his shirt and he could hear the suppressed sobs. Ryoma let her cry for a few more minutes, all while his cousin begged for him to stay tonight and the rest of the incoming day, before he pushed her away gently so he could speak.

"**I would never leave you and you know that, don't you?"**

"But these...gay guys... they-"

"**-are my team mates, nothing else."**

"For now they're your team mates, yes, but for how long before they become your friends and grow more important to you? Aren't you afraid, that these two in our kitchen will try... something... at you... I'm not homophobe but you're not into guys or other girls as I know because you never let anybody getting close to you. You don't like people getting too close and ask questions about your past and your current life... why you became speechless..." Tsukiko's voice grew quieter with each spoken word and her watering eyes glanced around, everywhere than in his eyes.

Was he really like that? Yeah, perhaps he was antisocial and didn't like people asking questions as it was making him feel uncomfortable but what Tsukiko said made it sound like he was some kind of freak who had panic attacks by making friends and was completely isolated from the outside world. It wasn't like this. He had just trouble making friends because most people didn't care to listen to his language or were too stupid for his liking - for example people like Horio.

Ryoma shrugged to answer her questions. "Ryoma! You need to be more careful. Maybe they plan to make a move on you!"

Now he couldn't help but to snort at her remark. **"A move at me? We're just team mates, Tsukiko! As long as they still play good tennis, I don't care what they are or do in their private time."**

"Really?!"

**"I would never lie to you."** Ryoma moved his hands once more to say something but the knock on his bedroom's door interrupted him. The door was opened soon enough by Tezuka and Fuji. Both brunettes stood at the door frame and stared at them for a moment. Fuji's smile seemed kind of... wrong. It looked somehow crooked. The blue eyes were even more intensive than usual. Tezuka, on the other hand, was stiff and remained in his perfect form of a frozen statue like always. Though, he was the first to break the awkward silence between them.

"Your mother told us about your cousin's short visit and we wouldn't mind if she joins us in our nightly group meeting. It means, if she is okay with sleeping around a horde of guys." Tezuka's glasses sparkle suddenly and his gaze was fixated on Ryoma, not leaving his own stare.

"I-I will go if Ryoma is sleeping beside me."

"Would it be okay for you, Echizen?"

He nodded in agreement to his captain. What other choice did he have anyways. None if he thought about it.

"Saa, then pack your bag with all the clothes and things you need for our sleepover and tomorrow's camping trip. We will leave around midday for the trip. We'll tell your parents and wait for you in the kitchen." Fuji left, not waiting for a reply and left the room with his boyfriend in tow, dragging Tezuka along.

"Isn't it great, Ryoma?" Tsukiko beamed at him, her smile was so bright and full of joy. "I'll ask Aunt Rinko if she can drive me back to our hotel so I can get my things. I'm so happy. Thanks, Ryoma." She hugged him, kissed him on his left cheek lightly and rushed out soon after. The teen needed a few seconds to collect his thoughts about what had just happened.

He was going on a sleepover, probably to discuss their tennis moves or something like that but... what exactly would they do there? He had never been at such party... What should he pack inside his bag?

Pyjama?  
Underwear?  
Toothbrush?  
A couple of his tennis magazines?  
Karupin...

...no, better not.

A soft knock at the already open door pushed him out of inner ranting about his check-list.

"Honey, are you okay?" His mother entered his room and sat down beside him onto the bed. He nodded slowly after a good pause of thinking if he really was okay. He thought so. Why shouldn't he?

"You don't have to go if you don't want to. I just want you make friends soon so you don't feel alone here. I know your father is horrible at keeping someone company and those two friendly team mates of yours seem to be good for you. You actually bowed down." His mother sounded surprised in a good way and Ryoma cursed himself when he saw small tear drops at the brick of her brown eyes. "It's something neither of us had taught you."

She took a deep breath, calmed herself and wiped the tear drops away. "And if you don't want to have Tsukiko with you, I can und-"

**"It's okay, Mom."** He smiled at her sheepishly even if the smile most probably didn't reach his eyes. He stood up and began to pull out his large tennis bag, replacing some of the tennis equipments with new ones and adding some clothes and other things to it. His mother watched him till he finished his packing and turned around to face her.

"Alright. I'll go and drive back so your cousin can get her things and bring her back in around an hour to your friend's house. I trust your friends because I know that if you trust them, I can trust them too. Nevertheless, please take good care of your cousin. I don't know when we'll see each other again, so..." She approached him and hugged him quietly and quickly. "... I'll take my leave then and wish you good luck with joining the regulars in this training camp. Call me whenever you need something or want to ask me something, okay?"

Ryoma smiled back and made one quick last check if he had everything packed what he would need for tonight and the incoming camp tomorrow. He heard a car's door shutting and the following sound of the start of the engine told him his mother and cousin were gone for now. He closed the open window and was thankful for the missing ear droppers from next door. Even so, Ryoma hesitated to move away from the window.

"Ready to go?" Soft fingers stroked briefly through his hair and made him jump out of his skin. Where had he appeared from so suddenly? Fuji stood right behind him, looking pleased by the side of his neighbour's closed windows.

The teen nodded hurriedly, wanted to free himself from this closeness, and grabbed his bag, waited for his team mate to follow him out of the room. His father was, of course, already testing his poor and perverted jokes at Tezuka who looked quite uncomfortable by them. His poor captain.

As soon as his father noticed him, he left Tezuka alone and walked over to him, grinning like the perverted father he always was. "My son, let me give this to you and try to be gentle with her." His father nodded in Fuji direction and his grin widen all the more. He gave Ryoma a small, black package. "Remember what I told you, a girl is like a flower. If you don't take good care of her needs, she will wither."

Girl?

Needs?

He had no clue what his father was talking about till it hit him and it hit him hard. The blush was unavoidable as he read the description on the black package. He was frozen where he stood and didn't know if he wanted to push the thing back at his father's chest - but there would be a high possibility of these two brunettes seeing it and that would be very embarrassing - or shoving it hurriedly into his jean's pocket and throwing it away later into the trash can - where nobody would see or find it.

Without thinking he shoved it into his pocket, bowing his head to cover the blush as good as possible.

He also suddenly understood what his old man must think about the tensai as Fuji truly looked quite like a girl with his slender body, the slim and tender hands and his long brown hair which caressed his face gently. Ryoma couldn't hold the smirk and snort, laughing silently.

"We should go. The others must be already there, waiting for us." Tezuka left uncharacteristically the room silently, with no word of goodbye or good night leaving his mouth. A bow was the only thing he gave the old man. Ryoma hoped Fuji hadn't heard his father's smart remark or who knew what would happen if his father was thrown out of his little, perverted dream of the brunette being a girl and not a guy.

Said brunette pushed him forward and out of the door, just to stop right in front of his father and grinning at him with his typical Cheshire cat-like grin and telling him bluntly: "It's nice of you, Echizen-san, to allow your son to our all-boy-Sleepover. Good night."

The last thing Ryoma saw from his old man, before Fuji closed the door behind him, was the confused and then shocked and horrified expression on his facec. The scream of horror was, nevertheless, clearly audible, even behind the closed door.


	14. Time For A Sleepover

**A/N: Words spoken in **Sign Language** will be written in **bold letters**!**

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

**~~ Time For A Sleepover ~~**

**~~ 8. March, Early Night ~~**

Nobody spoke while Fuji led them across the street and inside his house.

How would it be... at a pajyama party?

What would they do?

Ryoma felt excitement rush through his veins, though, he wouldn't ever admit it. It was simply something he had always wanted to do, to experience but he hadn't had enough friends back then in the States, so he had always slept with Karupin alone in his room. It was one of two reasons why he had silently agreed to it, beside knowing the possible consequences. The tensai wouldn't make it easy for him, probably asking stupid questions and pushing him in every possible corner to make him yield. He was certain about it and with Tsukiko being glued at his side later on would make it even harder for him to stop his team mates from bad mouthing, gossiping or in the worst case asking questions about him.

Nonetheless, there was still a chance that Tsukiko wouldn't cling too much on him when they had an audience and weren't alone in a room. It was the other reason why he had agreed to it. Ryoma had noticed the change in Tsukiko as she had cried in his arms just a couple of minutes ago. She had gotten more clingy, even more than usual and back then had been already nearly too much. Or was it only his imagination?

However, this pajama party couldn't get worse than the meeting with Kirihara and his senpais in Yukimura's bedroom, could it? He worried, though, if his cat would be able to sleep tonight without him. Hopefully, he could sleep without Karupin's soft purrs, snores and his warmth.

The itching feeling on his face and neck pulled him out of his inner discussion. Blue eyes watched him from over a shoulder. "My parents and Yuuta are gone. My older sister is still there but will stay in her room most of the time and leave us alone, so we can have a good long talk." The tensai had no shame, didn't look away, instead continued to stare at him with those pure blue eyes which had never lost on intensity. The guy was planning something and he was sure it wasn't something he would like to find out.

"Your family is funny, Ryoma." Called teen was confused about the sudden change of subject in their one-sided conversation. How should he reply to such a weird statement? He simply shrugged with his shoulders, not knowing if he should feel offend by the spoken truth, and ignored Fuji till he felt a strong grip slowly but firmly circling around his right wrist and the incoming pull with it to push him beside the smaller brunette. "You and your cousin are pretty close, ne?"

"Syusuke!"

"I'm merely asking him, Mitsu. You have seen her, too." Ryoma tried to get free from the grip but, even as he knew it already, it was useless. Fuji had quite the tight grip around him. "I would be happy if Yuuta would act like this from time to time. Sadly, he doesn't and never wants to cuddle with me." The brunette paused and seemed to think about something very eagerly. "Maybe I should cling to Yuuta more often. What do you think, Mitsu?"

Tezuka ignored Fuji's last words to Ryoma's surprise and continued to walk while speaking. "We shouldn't be late. The others are already there. You can ask him about it later on."

And it was something which made Ryoma scared. People asking questions. It was new in his life and he actually already knew and understood how he felt about people trying to break into his life. He felt terrified, flustered, frightened, nervous and overanxious because he didn't know how much he was allowed to say, to reveal from himself without hurting anybody with it - without hurting Tsukiko. Other people wouldn't understand his way of thinking and why he did what he did.

Then something else on his captain's spoken words caught his attention.

What others?

Who else would be there?

Fuji opened the front door of his house and pushed Ryoma inside, following him with his boyfriend in tow. The mute nearly stumbled over the small ridge of the genkan* where a couple of shoes stood if Tezuka hadn't grabbed him right in time. He nodded in thanks to the brunette who nodded in respond. Tezuka's way of saying "You're welcome."

He was in a small hallway with a staircase on the right side, leading upwards were voices and other noises echoed out of a room. Someone was laughing, another one talking loudly. Ryoma took a couple of steps forward, finding the entrance to the kitchen behind the staircase and the entrance to a living room with a dinning table in one half of the room to his left side. The toilette was, as the sign on the door showed it, right in front of him.

Tezuka slipped out of his shoes and put them neatly to a pair of black leather shoes, then walked inside and said something like "Ojama shimasu*". Whatever that meant, Ryoma nodded as if trying to say that he meant the same and also slipped out of his shoes, putting them next to his captain's. One thing he knew from the second day on: Tezuka was loved by older people and knew all the strange manners and antics with it. Copying his moves had sometimes saved Ryoma a lot of problems with his teachers in the last few days.

Fuji was the last to slip out of his shoes and with one quick movement, Ryoma found himself once again in the smaller brunette's tight grip. "My room is upstairs. We'll sleep there too, I have already put out the futons. Your futon is right next to mine, Ryoma, as my dear guest had asked me earlier if he could use my bed. Saa, but I think he will want to switch anew when he sees whom I'm sleeping next to." The brunette chuckled over his own words, opened the first door on the right side and was greeted with cheerful greetings and laughers. Ryoma got dragged along behind him and saw seconds later three people sitting somewhere around the room.

"There they are. We've been waiting for you all. Really have." Momoshiro was the first person who came into Ryoma's view, the second one was a sleeping boy in the bed, snoring lightly and mumbling in his sleep. Ryoma's eyes wandered around to find the third person and wanted to smack his hand against his forehead instantly.

"Ah, you made Ore-sama wait, Kunimitsu, Syusuke." Last named brunette got interrupted out of his thoughts and a smile, a real smile - Ryoma couldn't believe something like this even existed by the tricky tensai - radiated over Fuji's face.

"Keigo. It's great that you could come." Fuji walked over to the diva, releasing Ryoma out of the iron grip and kissed Monkey King on his mouth, his tongue licking over Monkey King's bottom lip. Ryoma felt the heat rising in his cheeks. Not good. The tensai released his affair out of the kiss and sat next to the diva, his arms sneaking around the neck and stroking Monkey King's hair gently. The sight confused Ryoma, made him unable to look away or move. "And I also see that _he_ couldn't jump over his cold feet and join us."

"No, Ore-sama had tried to convince him but Yukimura asked him to stay with him as he wanted to discuss something about some inofficial match. Never mind, Ore-sama can see that you brought the brat over and it's all the more surprising that he is actually sleeping somewhere else than at his own bed when he had only a few hours ago a sweet and charming woman in his arms. You said it was your cousin, right?"

"Oh, right. You have seen her too. Don't you think they were kinda close to each other?" Fuji's orbs wandered from Monkey King to him and Ryoma felt the heat rising up his ears and neck faster than before.

He wanted to snap at them but got distracted again when his captain walked past him and in front of the sitting diva on the bed, kissing him on the mouth sweetly, innocently, only to join his boyfriends on the bed.

Monkey King rose an eyebrow at him, still waiting for his answer. Thankfully his captain saved him out of his misery, he was still too confused about the open display of affection between those three. This was certainly not a normal relationship between them. "His cousin will join us in nearly an hour. She will sleep here but as we don't have enough futons, one of us needs to share his bed with another person."

"I won't sleep with him in one bed, will not." Momoshiro said loudly and pointed at Atobe who huffed and flicked a stray of hair back.

"Don't worry. The great Ore-sama will only share his bed with his boyfriends and not with a second class tennis player who hasn't even the guts to tell the girl he finds attractive a compliment without stuttering or blushing."

"T-t-that was just... It wasn't like that, not at all!"

"It was. Ann told me herself about it."

"She wouldn't! She isn't such kinda girl and-"

**"I'll share the bed with Tsukiko.**"Ryoma snipped with his fingers twice to get their attention and repeated his words. All eyes were directed at him and everyone of them seemed confused and clueless about what he had just said.

"Keigo, you understand Sign Language, so what had he just said?"

"Ore-sama understands only a very little bit of it, Syu. However, Ore-sama believes that he probably wants to share his bed with her, aah?"

Ryoma nodded and couldn't continue any further with his way of conversation, which made him quite happy on the one hand because everybody would stop to look at him so stupidly, as Fuji gripped the opportunity to speak once more. "Saa, how about we play a g-"

"No."

"Mitsu, I-"

"No. Whatever game you want to play. I say no because we all know how it ends up." There was a tense quietness between those two and for a short moment Ryoma believed to see some sort of telepathic conversation between Tezuka and Fuji.

"Fine, then how about a movie? We could watch something funny till the last guest arrives?"

"Fuji-senpai, what do you mean with last guest? Where is the rest of us?"

The brunette seemed confused at first by Momoshiro's questions, nevertheless, he controlled his features soon enough, followed by the well-known smile. "Eiji and Oishi wanted to have some time alone, Kaidoh is with Inui as they had found a new training program and Taka is busy helping his father with the sushi shop. We'll meet them and the regulars from Hyotei tomorrow at the training camp. We'll take the train and meet up there with Ryuzaki-sensei who is already there, preparing everything for us."

"S-so I'm alone with you guys tonight? Ahahaha..."

"Is there something wrong, Momo?" The bitter sweet smile of Fuji's brought even Ryoma a shiver over his spine and it was truly not a good one. He could understand his senpai's distress. He was slowly but surely scared about the process of this sleepover.

"Of course not, let's just watch a movie." His spiky-haired senpai turned around and pulled randomly a movie out of Fuji's shelf, holding it up. "That seems to be a good one. Let's watch it!" Momoshiro reached for the DVD player and put the disk in it with quivering hands, sitting back hurriedly while pulling Ryoma, who had stood near the door all the time, with him onto the ground and pushed his bag to the others under the desk where nobody would fall over them.

His senpai seemed to know what would happen by a sleepover at the tensai's house because Ryoma was pushed, as if he was a barrier, between Fuji and Momoshiro. The spiky-haired teen sat on the ground with him and not on the bed like Fuji, Tezuka, Monkey King and the still unknown, lightly snoring teen.

"Great choice, Momo. It's actually one of my favorite movies." The deep chuckle sent another shiver over Ryoma's skin. What was going to happen? They all made themselves comfortable and Ryoma felt a sudden heat coming from his backside. Someone was sitting right behind him where a few seconds ago had been nobody. Turning around now and glaring at the person would be too direct, right?

Well... he would feel bad about glaring at Tezuka as he hadn't done anything to him... but the other two would have earned it.

The television jumped on and displayed two half naked guys in front of some buildings with people standing behind them, looking not really pleased about something. Fuji pressed play before anybody could ask questions and it was the moment which the sleeping guy on the bed assumed would be good to wake up. He blinked twice and yawned loudly, looking at the televions and blurtingout the first words that came to his mind. "Ne, Keigo... Isn't it the ga-"

"Jiroh, sleep."

"Okay, Keigo, but I need to pee."

"Then go."

The other teen named Jiroh stood up and stumbled out of the room as if it was totally normal to obey someone like a slave. Strange, definitely strange. The movie went on and Ryoma couldn't quite help as to focus on the heat behind him instead of the film playing in front of him. The person behind him began to play with his hair. Petting, stroking and circling it around his finger.

He leaned forward, tried to dodge the touch and escape the heat a little bit. Useless as it seemed a second later. The person moved with him and the hand was immediately in his hair again, stroking and playing with it. The teen took a deep breath and groaned mentally. He stood still and rolled with his eyes, reaching with his left hand behind himself and slapping the other hand away.

Fuji chuckled and the mute was already turning around to tell his mind off but the sudden and loud scream coming from beside him, followed by a blushing and forward stumbling Momoshiro interrupted and stopped him. "Fuji-senpai! That's an adult gay movie!" Without another word, the spiky-haired teen rushed out.

Adult...

...Gay...

...Movie...

Ryoma blinked a couple of times before he directed his eyes to the movie playing on the television. Two guys were half naked and wildly, passionately kissing each other in an alley. The blush crept up in his cheeks, unstoppable. He didn't know what was worse - looking at the three guys behind him in their eyes or continuing to watch this embarrassing and confusing film.

Luckily for him, he didn't even need think about the answer as the door got opened soundly and Jiroh returned from the bathroom, sleep walking back inside and lying down onto one of the furthest futons. However, it didn't stop the tensai from teasing him. "So, Ryoma, you still haven't answered my first question. You and your cousin are quite close, aren't you?!"

The mute hadn't even decided where or what he should focus on with his eyes, so how could he answer such a question now? The movie was a horrible idea as the sounds alone gave him a fluttery feeling in his stomach and looking at the three guys lounging on the bed behind him was an even worse case as he didn't know what the tricky tensai would do if he merely glanced in those blue eyes. Looking at Jiroh made him tired and sleepy.

He had always been able to dodge such situations easily years ago but now he didn't know how to handle them.

"Syu..." Monkey King spoke up, rising from the bed and standing next to Ryoma. "...you shouldn't torture him so much if you want him to speak up...I mean in his language... as none of us speaks it fluently anyway." There was no sign of what the diva felt or why he was helping him, nonetheless, Ryoma was thankful for the surprising help. "You said, his cousin will be here soon, why not ask her instead?"

The mute felt all color drain from his face, replaced by paleness and cold sweat.

He really hoped his cousin wouldn't give them too many answer to their questions, wouldn't speak too much.

Sleepovers weren't his thing, Ryoma decided and watched as Atobe walked out of the room at the same time as the doorbell rang.

* * *

***Genkan is the entrance hall of a Japanese house where you leave your outdoor shoes.**

***Ojama shimasu is said by entering someone's home and means along the lines "I'm going to get in your way." or "I will disturb you."  
**


	15. Somniloquy For The First Time

**A/N: Words spoken in **Sign Language** will be written in **bold letters**!  
Thanks for all your supportive and great reviews. I'm happy you like it! ^-^  
**

**Disclaimer: Do not own anything.**

* * *

**~~ Somniloquy For The First Time ~~**

**~~ 8. March, Night ~~**

Keigo walked down the stairs, straightened and readied himself to perform the perfect picture of a prince before opening the main door for their new and latest guest. Girls and women were charmed in with his attitude and manners like bees were to flowers. Nearly all female, and even some male, students from Hyotei had their eyes on him and he would admit to everyone who asked him that he loved the feeling of being in the center of attention.

It was probably one thing which he inherited from his parents as both were and always had been surrounded by cameras and reporters. With his father being a successful CEO of an international company and his mother being his assistant, it was to be expected. Keigo had been in the spotlight since he was old and strong enough to walk on his own. At least since his first big party for his seventh birthday, which had been so expensive and had made every child in his neighbourhood jealous at him, was he well known.

People loved and trusted him easily and as soon as they saw his money, his wealth and his outstanding behaviour and looks. Broads were worse than guys. All he needed to do was flirt a little bit and speak to them gently and the women and girls would spit out all the gossips and secrets he wanted to know. He would get every secret and rumour to be revealed and lifted. And he would reveal Echizen Ryoma's secret too. How could it be that a son of a very well known professional tennis player had only been mentioned once in a magazine? Or how was his strange behavior to be explained?

All Keigo would need to do to get this information was to woo his cousin...

Keigo opened the door and smiled his charming smile, greeted the young woman with a light nod. "Ah, there is our special guest. You must be Echizen's beautiful cousin." He opened the door wider and stepped aside gracefully, letting the young woman inside with her large suitcase. He bowed and closed the door softly after she had walked through it, making a grip for the probably heavy suitcase. "Let me carry this for you. It's probably heavy and such a fragile and pretty woman shouldn't carry so heavy things."

She blushed, pink spreading from her neck to her cheeks and up to her ears. A shy and innocent girl, Keigo guessed.

"Thank you and sorry for the trouble. My name is Takeuchi Tsukiko and you're right to assume that I'm Ryoma's cousin. And you are?" The young woman asked as she bowed, nonetheless, her focus rested on something else. She was more interested in her new surroundings, scanning the corridor and looked around nervously as if she was searching for something... or someone. His train of thoughts proved to be correct. "Where is he?"

Keigo suppressed the smirk and snort. "My name is Atobe Keigo and it's a pleasure to meet you. Your cousin is upstairs." He simply nodded his head up the stairs. She nearly flew up as soon as the words sank in, taking each stair hurriedly without taking any more notice of him.

A vein popped up on his right temple. How could she ignore Ore-sama's presence?

It didn't happen very often that he was ignored and received no charmed or impressed response from his opponent. It was all the more frustrating that the young woman didn't even glanced at him another time.

Had she even really looked at him? Certainly not...

She had reacted...

...as if she had already seen his face...

That was the reason! It must be!

His boyfriends must have told her who was coming to this sleepover and she had prepared herself to stay calm and don't push her luck to have time with the great king. Keigo smirked confidently and followed her up the stairs, carrying the heavy luggage. She was shy and it would make sense that she wasn't brave enough to look into his gorgeous eyes.

Damn, the luggage was heavy. If Kabaji hadn't his now married sister coming for a visit, he would have been here with him, carrying this damn suitcase. His loyal friend, bodyguard and servant would have done it gladly for him.

When he finally arrived at the top of the stairs, he was surprised by the sight which confronted him. Tsukiko had stopped in front of the slightly opened door, taking a deep breath before entering the room, just so to stop once again, frozen on the spot.

Keigo went past her, wondering what surprised her so much, and walked into the room where his boyfriends and a snoring Jiroh waited for him. He put the suitcase, which certainly had more clothes and other stuff inside than anybody would need for one simple pyjama party, to the other bags and turned around to her. "Make yourself comfortable. Feel free to ask the great Ore-sama whenever you need something."

She didn't react to his words, still too shocked from what was going on in front of her. Seeing no chance of getting an answer, Keigo returned to his place next to his boyfriends.

The movie was still playing, showing two guys kissing softly and innocently while eating dinner late at night. Nevertheless, what surprised the diva the most was the sight of the brat. Syusuke sat pretty close, nearly at the edge of the bed and brushed his tender fingers against the brat's hair from time to time, making the youngest teen jolt up by each contact. Keigo would have assumed the brat swung the same way as them and was just too embarrassed to turn around and break the contact entirely. At least, it would have explained the strange expression on the mute's face and the light pink color on his cheeks.

"Hi, nice to see you again." Syusuke said with his blue eyes open and a Cheshire cat like grin on his face, his gaze fixated directly at her. "Make yourself comfortable. We're just watching the movie till the end." The poor girl looked shocked and disbelievingly at the brunette, then to the television and back to them. Keigo almost pitied her. Playing tennis against Syusuke was bad and annoying but being on his bad side as a person was even worse and nerve wrecking.

A small body blocked Keigo's view and hands moved fluently in front of his face. He lifted his magnificent dark orbs and was confronted with a piercing glare coming from a pair of golden eyes. "Ah, what is it brat? You're blocking Ore-sama's sight."

The hands moved again, making the same movements like before. Keigo looked at his boyfriends who looked back at him with raised brows. "What?"

"You can understand him better than us. So what did he say?"

"Kunimitsu, I have told you already I can only understand a little bit. I don't know what he had just said. His hands moved too fast and most of those movements aren't in the books I have read."

"Saa, Keigo, I'm impressed. You're actually studying something so determined without gaining something from it. You do know Ryoma won't change the team, right?"

The brat breathed out deeply and clearly in annoyance, stomped to the television and flicked it out. As soon as the sounds ebbed out and the room darkened by the now not anymore existing lights, Tsukiko entered the room and walked up to her cousin, took his hand in hers and guided him to the furthermost futon, sitting down. Keigo watched the scene with amusement and curiosity.

The brat's eyes were... strange... filled with uncharacteristically strong emotions. His orbs rested on Kunimitsu first, then Syusuke and finally at the diva. Keigo thought for a second to actually see something like a silent cry in those suddenly deep, golden eyes. But it was gone in a blink of an eye. As if it had never been there. The woman leaned over and whispered something in his ear that let his expression change once more. Surprise and something between shock and guilt. Strange...

"Saa, as our quiet guest doesn't want to continue to watch the great movie, I would say let's talk. I'm curious about Ryoma's past." Syusuke's blue ones fixated the woman. "What have you been doing in the States? Are you two really only cousins? How comes their is only one article about you, Ryoma, and nothing else? Why are you mute?"

Syusuke sure as hell did not miss out on anything. "Syu!"

"Mitsu, I'm merely asking the questions which he didn't give us any reply to! So..." Syusuke's gaze hadn't even wavered from those two. The poor girl was beet red in the face and her hand clenched at the brat's shirt.

"We're only cousins and had lived with each other and our...families... since we were in... in kindergarten." Her orbs wandered around the room, though, never paused or stopped by one of them. The brat closed the little bit of space between them, somehow offering support. A smile broke through the uncertainty and radiated over her whole face, reached her now sparkling eyes. "Ryoma had always been by my side. He is a great person, wouldn't lie or break promises."

"That's good to hear but how comes there is no information about him anywhere. He is a very talented tennis player as far as I can see, so how comes there is only one report in a magazine about him? If I remember correctly, then the article was about the youngest tennis player beating someone older who had lot more experience. Surely there should have been more reporters who asked for interviews and further connection with him? Why not?"

"W-w-w-well, there is a reason behind it... eh... Ryoma had trouble with giving the interviews and standing in the center of attention. He doesn't like it."

"Doesn't like it? But it's just tennis where he-"

"He doesn't like it! He doesn't like people butting into his life and past, so stop asking me out about him. He is straight and likes girls!"

Silence. Absolute silence flooded the room. Her sudden outburst was unexpected and judging the brat's expression it was something he hadn't expected as well. Something was fishy...

The door sprung open and in walked Momoshiro with a hand covering his eyes. "Fuji-senpai, I would like to sleep but I can't when I he-"

"Momo." The spiky-haired teen uncovered his eyes and looked at his senpais and around the room, just then noticing the female newcomer. The teen laughed and rubbed his neck in embarrassment. "Hahaha, I didn't know we had a visitor. My name is Momoshiro Takeshi. Nice to meet you." Momoshiro bowed slightly before focusing on his senpains anew. "Oishi-senpai had just called and told me that tomorrow's trip will start a little earlier. Arrival at the camp at nine thirty."

"Saa, then we should make ourselves ready for bed, ne?" The Cheshire cat like grin returned from earlier and Keigo himself shivered from it. It seemed to be even wider and eviler than the last one... "I would say ladies first. The bathroom is downstairs. You can't miss it."

Tsukiko glared at the brunette, nonetheless, stood up, grabbed a small dopp kit out of her large suitcase and walked up next to Momoshiro. She glanced over her shoulder to her cousin and told him something in Sign Language. The brat replied with something which didn't fit her and a short argument broke out. It didn't last long and she stormed out of the room with not so good manners.

"Why not change into our sleepwear while our female guest is out?" Keigo smirked, amused as his boyfriend stripped out of his clothes till he stood there in only a tight pair of boxers and a t-shirt. Kunimitsu followed suit. However, he had a long, dark blue pyjama on. Keigo enjoyed the view of his boyfriends undressing in front of him before he, Momoshiro and the brat started to dress up in their nightwear too. Jiroh had changed clothes right after he had entered the house with his captain.

The diva gazed secretly over his right shoulder, watched a certain person change clothes. The brat didn't even care that he was in a room with three gay men, instead, he changed calmly into his light blue pyjama, ignoring his surroundings entirely while he looked as if he was deep in thoughts.

It was strange... it didn't fit...

He reacted differently... not the same like he had when his cousin had been sitting next to him...

Or maybe it was just Keigo's imagination?

A massive headache was rolling on.

Sleep...

He needed sleep to think straight and clear again.

**~~ 8. March, Late Night ~~**

It had taken a bit of time till everybody had found enough space to sleep but it worked out in the end. Keigo was sleeping in his boyfriend's bed with said person. Sadly, the bed wasn't big enough for three people so Kunimitsu slept in one of the extra futons next to the bed. Beside his boyfriend slept the brat with his still pouting cousin who clung to him pretty much. It was a wonder the brat could actually sleep in such an uncomfortable position.

At the end of the room were Jiroh and Momoshiro soundly asleep, snoring lightly. Expect those sounds, the room was quite, everybody was asleep. However, the great king just couldn't.

It was strange... usually he was a fast sleeper but right then... he couldn't rest, couldn't sleep. Counting tennis balls in his mind didn't work either. The bed was small, too hard and worn out for his delicate skin. The pillow was too small and not fluffy enough and the blanket was stiff and not so soft like his favorite at his home. Making himself tired by thinking about the brat and the strange reactions from earlier only brought him a headache.

Perhaps if he thought about tomorrow's master plan he would get tired?

He had planned everything till the littlest detail to start his secret mission. He had one week. A whole week to reach success with it. All three schools had allowed their regulars of each tennis team to enter this special training camp. It would start tomorrow when his limousine would drive in front of this house and pick them all up. He hoped his boyfriends wouldn't take it too badly when they meet the other two guests in the car.

The rustling noises interrupted him in his thoughts and perked his curiosity. Someone was moving, but not moving like turning around to find a better position to sleep in. It was more like someone tried to get ride of the blanket, pushing and struggling with it so strongly but still quietly as to not wake someone up. Keigo scanned the room, the incoming moonlight gave him a clear view, and was greeted by an unexpected sight. The brat, sleepwalking as it seemed, untangled the girl's arm and hands from his shoulder and left arm, tried to get out of this iron-grip with tired and half-hearted attempts. The boy would fall asleep any minute.

Keigo remembered the crooked smile on the brat's face when Tsukiko had claimed to sleep with him in one bed. The agreement had been twisted of some sorts. The reactions didn't fit... why?

Oh man, the headache was back...

"Ryoma?" The name was whispered in a long and sluggish tone, coming from the still sleeping girl. "Don't leave me..."

Had he heard it just right?

The brat stilled, stopped to move and, all of a sudden, looked up and around, taking a couple of deep breaths. His expression was twisted, showing his discord clearly. Keigo lifted his body up, ready to confront the teen. However, he didn't come very far as Syusuke held him down with his hands pressing against his chest, viewed Keigo into his eyes and mouthed silently the word: "Wait".

He hadn't had the chance to ask for what he should wait as Kunimitsu sat up and helped the brat to loosen the grip from his body. The mute's face reflected absolute sleepiness, surprise and an unspoken question.

"We all need sleep for tomorrow's training camp and if you don't get enough it will cause trouble for the whole team." Kunimistu put the blanket back over Tsukiko's body and pulled Echizen with him to his own futon, covering both bodies with the blanket. Echizen sat there for a second before sleep overtook him and forced him to lie down. Both guys rested with the backside to each other, moving a little to find a comfortable position.

"Good night, Echizen."

Keigo watched his stoic boyfriend glancing over his shoulder, probably waiting for some kind of reaction from the brat. Nothing came.

"He's quite a handful, ne?" Syusuke hushed over Keigo's chest and chuckled lightly. "Maybe we should invite him." The diva groaned quietly and saw his other boyfriend huff in desperation. Their tensai was planning something... Such things never ended good...

"Syusuke, don't you think three are enough in one relationship?"

"Mhm.. good to know you have already thought about him being a part of us, Mitsu. I was actually asking if we should invite him over here more often for sleepovers and such." Keigo burst out laughing as did Syusuke. Kunimitsu had run right into their boyfriend's trap...

"...no more..."

"What?" Keigo asked after he stopped laughing quietly and saw his boyfriends gazing at him confusedly as if he had just said something. "What?!"

"What had you just said, Keigo?"

"Ore-sama hadn't said anything. Ore-sama's voice sounds different and not so light. It was probably the girl sleep talking..." The diva snuggled back to his sleeping position and pulled his sweet and smaller boyfriend close. "We should also sleep and please invite me too for the next time."

He kissed Syusuke on the forehead good night and enjoyed the kiss which Kunimitsu gave him.


End file.
